Celebrate Math Awareness Month!

Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month Lecture Series

April is Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. As part of our celebration we sponsor a special lecture series. Our goal is to increase public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics and statistics.

This year our special lecture is at 4:00 on Wednesday, 10 April 2019 in the Oliver Hall Auditorium - Room 112

Jorge E. Macías-Díaz will give a general audience lecture about the axiom of choice.

Abstract: The purpose of this talk is to create awareness of the use of one of the most controversial axioms of modern set theory. More precisely, the talk will focus on the implications of the axiom of choice and its need to prove essential results in mathematics. At the same time, we will recall many important moments in the history of mathematics which led to the creation of modern mathematics. Parallelisms with sports and the arts will be provided in order to illustrate the historical development of mathematics, and many big names will be remembered along the way. Some paradoxes will be mentioned, and some interesting equivalences of the axiom of choice will be discussed. We will avoid technical proofs as much as possible, and illustrations will be provided whenever possible.

Jorge E. Macías-Díaz, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Physics at the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes. Professor Macías-Díaz holds two PhD's. A PhD in mathematics from Tulane University (2001) and a PhD in physics from the University of New Orleans (2007).

J. E. Macías-Díaz's research has focused mainly on module theory, numerical analysis of partial differential equations, finite-difference methods, scientific computing and fractional calculus. He is associate editor of the International Journal of Computer Mathematics, Advances in Mathematical Physics, Computational and Mathematical Methods, and Applied Mathematical Sciences.

J. E. Macías-Díaz has organized several academic events in Mexico and Spain. He has held teaching positions at Tulane University, the University of New Orleans, and several institutes of higher education in his native Mexico. Since the Fall semester of 2005, he has been a full professor in the Department of Mathematics and Physics of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, where he has held many research, teaching, academic and administrative responsibilities. Since November of 2012, J. E. Macias-Diaz has been a regular member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.

In his free time, he enjoys playing academic music (piano and violin).