Math in Motion: UF Alumnus to Give Math Day Presentations

What are the basics of robotics and synchronization? It’s all about numbers, which the University of Findlay’s upcoming Math Day will illustrate. Held annually to celebrate math by demystifying some of its complexities and introducing concepts in a compelling way, this year’s event will take place Tuesday, March 14 in the Alumni Memorial Union’s Multipurpose Room.
The event will be free and open to the public.
UF alumnus Jon Hauenstein, Ph.D., will offer two presentations lasting about 50 minutes each. The Niles, Michigan resident is an associate professor of applied and computational mathematics and statistics at the University of Notre Dame. He was the recipient of UF’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015.
Hauenstein’s “Robotics, Kinematics, and Polynomials” talk scheduled for 10 a.m., will highlight the application of algebraic geometry in robotics and kinematics through several examples, such as mechanisms used in flight simulators and windshield wipers, as well as a model of a bird flapping its wings.
For “Mathematics of Synchronization,” to be presented at 1 p.m., Hauenstein will consider the mathematical model of synchronization proposed by Yoshiki Kuramoto to explore its dependence on the strength of the coupling between oscillating elements.

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