Albion College

Math/CS 299/399

Colloquium in Mathematics and Computer Science I & II

Spring 2024

Presentation Project

Overview

You will give a 10–15 minute talk on a topic related to mathematics or computer science that you find interesting. My goal is for you to explore some area of mathematics or computer science that is of interest to you. This talk should build on the mathematical or computer science knowledge from upper-level courses. This talk must be sufficiently distinct from a similar talk you may have given for another course. You should come see me to make sure you topic meets the course requirements.

Seek help as soon as you are experiencing difficulty with this assignment.
Do not wait until the deadline to seek help!

The scope of the talk is up to you, but I suggest some of the following:

Colloquium Topic
Expand and further explore a colloqouim topic from this semester or even a previous semester.
Topic Review
Identify a collection of sources on a topic and write a summary article on the topic.
Paper Review
Take a peer-reviewed research journal article you find interesting and summarize the interesting points.
Course Topic
Write about a topic from one of your favorite courses, but not covered in that course. For example, considering writing about a topic touched on in a homework problem or in a chapter not covered.
Historical Biography
Write a biography of a famous mathematician or computer scientist.
Classical Problem
Write about a classical mathematics or computer science problem that had a significant impact on the field.
Popular Press Book Summary
Write about a popular press mathematics or computer science book summarizing the important points of the book.
Honors Thesis Prospectus
Outline your plans for an honors thesis.
Research Plans
Provide detailed plans of a FURSCA or other research project you plan to perform.
Detailed Proof
Provide a detailed proof of a mathematical theorem that goes beyond the scope of material in our undergraduate courses, but aimed at students in the audience.
Project Summary
Provide a detailed account of a FURSCA project, directed study, internship, or research project you have conducted.
Math/CS Contest Problem
Start with an interesting problem from either a mathematics contest (Putnam, MATH Challenge, LMMC, etc) or computer science contest (ACM, Denison, etc). Solve the problem completely and correctly. Generalize the problem and provide a solution to the generalized problem. Your paper will include an overview of the problem, why it is interesting, why your generalization is nontrvial, and your solutions to the both the original and generalized problems.

Sources for Mathematics and Computer Science

Talk to your professors for other ideas! This is an opportunity for you to delve into an area that fascinates you.

Deliverables

Topic and Abstract

A paragraph (roughly 200 words) describing the topic and scope of your talk must be sent via email to me by the due date. You should include a statement of the importance of the topic and why it is of interest to you. After reading your proposal, I may suggest you broaden, narrow, or possibly change your topic. Once your topic is agreed upon, you will need to consult me regarding any changes you might want to make later in the term.

Slides

You will need to create slides using LaTeX with the beamer package OR using reveal.js with MathJax. See Overleaf's Beamer page for information on using the Beamer package for slides. A pdf of your slides will need to be submitted to me via email in advance of your talk. I strongly encourage you to practice your talk and I am happy to critique your talk in advance.

Talk

Your talk!

Grading Rubric

References