News & Events

Abstract: Why do animals move the way they do? Bacteria, insects, birds, and fish share with us the necessity to move so as to live. Although each organism follows its own evolutionary course, it also obeys a set of common laws. At the very least, the movement of animals, like that of planets, is governed by Newton’s law: All things fall. On Earth, most things fall in air or water, and their motions are thus subject to the laws of hydrodynamics. Through trial and error, animals have found ways to interact with fluid so they can float, drift, swim, sail, glide, soar, and fly. This elementary struggle to escape the fate of falling shapes the development of motors, sensors, and mind. Perhaps we can deduce parts of their neural computations by understanding what animals must do so as not to fall.
We have been seeking mechanistic explanations of the complex movement of insect flight.. Starting from the Navier-Stokes equations governing the unsteady aerodynamics of flapping flight, we worked to build a theoretical framework for computing flight and for studying the control of flight.  I will discuss our recent computational and experimental studies of the balancing act of dragonflies and fruit flies:  how a dragonfly recovers from falling upside-down and how a fly balances in air. In each case,  the physics of flight informs us about the neural feedback circuitries underlying their fast reflexes.

"I am fascinated by the physics of living organisms, with a focus on understanding insect flight. How does an insect fly, why does it fly so well, and how can we infer its ‘thoughts’ from its flight dynamics? The movement of an insect is not only dictated by the laws of physics, but also by its response to the external world."

-Jane Wang

Abstract: Observations of type Ia supernovae (SN Ia), a class of exploding stars, ushered in a cosmological revolution: the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, driven by dark energy. I will describe current cosmological applications of SN Ia to measure the expansion rate of the Universe and constrain the nature of dark energy. Despite the cosmological utility of SN Ia, we still lack a detailed understanding of their progenitor systems and explosion physics. I will present advances in our knowledge of white dwarf supernovae through observations, including new data from JWST, that reveal both surprising homogeneity and diversity. Finally, I will preview SN Ia cosmology with upcoming flagship projects like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Emmy Noether was one of the twentieth century's most important mathematicians.  Her contributions, spanning invariant theory, the calculus of variations, abstract algebra, and number theory, combined with her mathematical philosophy have had a profound impact in mathematics, physics, and beyond. 

In this session, supplementing the evening's performance of the play Diving into Math with Emmy Noether, the presenters will give short general audience talks on various aspects of Noether's life, contributions, and impact, to be followed by time for questions and a panel discussion.  

Agenda

3:00-3:30  Refreshments and socialization, Vincent Hall 120 (Commons room)

3:30-4:30  Presentations and questions, Vincent Hall 16

David Rowe (Institut für Mathematik, Johannes Gutenberg University, Germany) — Emmy Noether: from Invariant Theory to Physics to Abstract Algebra

Peter Olver (Mathematics, University of Minnesota) — The Curious History of Noether's Two Theorems

Peter Webb (Mathematics, University of Minnesota) — Noether's Impact in Algebra

Fiona Burrell (Physics, University of Minnesota) — Noether's Impact in Modern Physics

4:30-5:00  Panel discussion, Vincent Hall 16

7:00 p.m. Performance of Diving into Mathematics with Emily Noether

Coffman Union Theater

Abstract: This talk will detail the emergence of Ramanujan from an obscure village in South India to his entering the most select circles of the mathematical world. The true nature of his stunningly original work is still being uncovered. The talk will provide both mathematical and personal details of this extraordinary genius.

Abstract: Below the geographic South Pole, the IceCube project has transformed one cubic kilometer of natural Antarctic ice into a neutrino detector. IceCube detects more than 100,000 neutrinos per year in the GeV to 10 PeV energy range. From those, we have isolated a flux of high-energy neutrinos originating beyond our Galaxy, with an energy flux that is comparable to that of the extragalactic high-energy photon flux observed by the NASA Fermi satellite. With a decade of data, we have identified their first sources, which point to the obscured dense cores associated with the supermassive black holes of some active galaxies as the origin of high-energy neutrinos (and cosmic rays!).

 
Zoom: https://umn.zoom.us/j/99621284022

Research: 

The William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute (FTPI) at the University of Minnesota is pleased to announce Professor Francis Halzen as the 16th Annual Misel Lecturer.  Dr. Halzen is a Vilas and Gregory Breit Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  This lecture is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Questions? Please contact us at ftpi@umn.edu or 612-625-6055. We look forward to seeing you there!

Abstract:  The IceCube project at the South Pole melted 86 holes 2.5 kilometer deep in the Antarctic icecap to construct an enormous astronomical observatory. The experiment discovered a flux of neutrinos from deep space with energies more than a million times those of neutrinos produced at accelerator laboratories. These cosmic neutrinos are created in some of the most violent processes in the universe since the Big Bang and originate in the cosmic particle accelerators that are still enigmatic sources of cosmic rays. This lecture will discuss the IceCube neutrino telescope and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of cosmic origin. It will highlight the recent discovery that high-energy neutrinos—and cosmic rays—originate in sources powered by rotating supermassive black holes.

See more information on our 2023 Misel Lecture webpage.
Read more about Professor Halzen on his University of Wisconsin webpage.

Please register through the UMN Events Calendar (registration is encouraged but not required).

Symmetry is powerful principle in physics, allowing us to make exact statements even in regimes where controlled calculations are challenging or impossible.  Thus understanding the ways in which different types of symmetries can constrain phases of matter is an important component of understanding what nature is capable of.  In this talk, I will describe how exploring new types of symmetries, including symmetries with unusual spatial structure, or symmetries that act on particles in exotic ways, has expanded our understanding of these possibilities, including identifying new classes of phases of matter, and new platforms with which to realize these.  
 
This colloquium will have a remote option via zoom:
https://umn.zoom.us/j/94831171860

Federal Holiday

Universe in the Park is hosted by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics and area state and local parks.

Representatives of the Institute will present a short (~20 min) outdoor public talk and slide show. Presentations cover a variety of astronomical topics such as: the history of matter, how astronomers "see," and a journey through our solar system. For the 2022 season, talks will be outdoors to ensure they are as safe as possible.

Afterwards, if weather allows, attendees have the opportunity to view the sky through multiple 8-inch reflecting telescopes, operated by the staff and provided by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. Additionally, free star maps (e.g., www.skymaps.com) and instructions are provided. Throughout the evening, audience members are encouraged to ask questions and discuss topics ranging from backyard astronomy to the latest scientific discoveries.

Although a vehicle permit is usually required to enter the parks, the events are free to the public. More about Wild River State Park here

Universe in the Park is hosted by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics and area state and local parks.

Representatives of the Institute will present a short (~20 min) outdoor public talk and slide show. Presentations cover a variety of astronomical topics such as: the history of matter, how astronomers "see," and a journey through our solar system. For the 2022 season, talks will be outdoors to ensure they are as safe as possible.

Afterwards, if weather allows, attendees have the opportunity to view the sky through multiple 8-inch reflecting telescopes, operated by the staff and provided by the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics. Additionally, free star maps (e.g., www.skymaps.com) and instructions are provided. Throughout the evening, audience members are encouraged to ask questions and discuss topics ranging from backyard astronomy to the latest scientific discoveries.

Although a vehicle permit is usually required to enter the parks, the events are free to the public. More about Eastman Nature Center here