[theory-seminar] combinatorics seminar tomorrow w. Persi Diaconis

[Gregory Valiant]

Hi Friends,
Tomorrow is the first combinatorics seminar, with Persi Diaconis.
Talk info below.

Cheers,
-g

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The combinatorics seminar begins this year tomorrow with Persi
Diaconis speaking about parking functions.


Thursday September 29, 3-4pm

Room: 384-H
Speaker: Persi Diaconis (Stanford University)

Title: AN INTRODUCTION TO PARKING FUNCTIONS

Abstract: Parking functions are simple combinatorial objects that come
up in all kinds of math and applications, from hashing to MacDonald
polynomials. In joint work with Angela Hicks, we ask 'what does a
typical parking function 'look like'' This allows us to explore the
wealth of formulae AND ask new questions that relate to Cayley's
(n+1)^n-1 trees and esoteric things like Airy functions and Brownian
excursion. All will be explained 'in English'.

Next week's speaker is Melanie Matchett Wood (Wisconsin) at a time TBD.
The combinatorics seminar meets regularly on Thursdays at 3pm in 384-H.
For more information, see http://mathematics.stanford.edu/combinatorics-seminar/