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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260203T121500
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DTSTAMP:20260504T080548
CREATED:20260129T172206Z
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SUMMARY:Relationships between skein algebras (Helen Wong\, CMC)
DESCRIPTION:We will examine the multiplicative structure of two skein algebras— the usual Kauffman bracket skein algebra of a surface (generated by loops) and a generalization of it due to Roger-Yang (generated by loops and arcs).   In joint work with Chloe Marple\, we found a homomorphism between the usual skein algebra for a closed torus and the Roger-Yang skein algebra for a twice-punctured annulus.   In this talk\, I’ll present some ways we used that homomorphism to do computations\, and whether there might be similar relationships between skein algebras of other surfaces. 
URL:https://colleges.claremont.edu/ccms/event/antc-talk-helen-wong-cmc-2/
LOCATION:Estella 2099
CATEGORIES:Algebra / Number Theory / Combinatorics Seminar
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260206T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260206T121500
DTSTAMP:20260504T080548
CREATED:20260110T215526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T164006Z
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SUMMARY:CCMS Colloquium: Teal Witter (CMC)
DESCRIPTION:CCMS Colloquium invites you to a talk by Teal Witter (CMC)\n\n \nTitle:  Exactly Computing do-Shapley Values\n \n\nAbstract:  \nCausal questions lie at the heart of scientific inquiry\, from evaluating economic policies to determining medical treatments. Yet\, observational data alone is often insufficient due to the fundamental problem of causal inference: we cannot observe the counterfactual world where a specific intervention did not occur. Structural Causal Models (SCMs) offer a powerful solution by explicitly modeling the underlying mechanisms of a system. By formalizing data generation\, SCMs allow us to use the do-operator to rigorously simulate interventions\, answering questions like\, “If a patient were administered prednisone and made to stop smoking\, what would be their expected pain level?”\n\nHowever\, characterizing a system through individual queries is computationally daunting. As the number of features d grows\, the landscape of possible interventions scales exponentially (2^d). To extract interpretable insights from this combinatorial complexity\, we utilize the do-Shapley value\, a game-theoretic framework that attributes the complicated dynamics of an SCM to individual features.\n\nIn this talk\, I will present a new algorithmic approach that makes computing these values more tractable. We show that the causal landscape is structured into “irreducible sets”\, a building block where multiple interventions yield identical effects. By leveraging this structure\, we introduce an algorithm that computes do-Shapley values exactly\, with runtime that depends on the graph’s complexity rather than 2^d. We further propose an estimator that targets these sets directly\, producing more accurate estimates than prior work by several orders of magnitude or more.\n\nJoint work with Álvaro Parafita\, Tomas Garriga\, Maximilian Muschalik\, Fabian Fumagalli\, Axel Brando\, and Lucas Rosenblatt.\n\n \nBio: Teal is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Claremont McKenna College. His recent research explores randomized algorithms for problems in explainable AI and generative AI. More broadly\, he is interested in leveraging ideas from theoretical computer science and machine learning to design provably accurate algorithms. Before joining the consortium\, Teal completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science at New York University\, where he was supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Prior to graduate school\, Teal attended Middlebury College.
URL:https://colleges.claremont.edu/ccms/event/ccms-colloquium-teal-witter-cmc/
LOCATION:Davidson Lecture Hall\, CMC\, 340 E 9th St\, Claremont\, CA\, 91711\, United States
CATEGORIES:Colloquium
ORGANIZER;CN="Sam Nelson":MAILTO:snelson@cmc.edu
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260207T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260207T115500
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CREATED:20251204T214629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T220646Z
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SUMMARY:GEMS February 7th Session
DESCRIPTION:This GEMS session will be facilitated by Professor Teal Witter from Claremont McKenna College.\n\n\nTitle: Who Can Write Down the Bigger Number?\n\n\nAbstract: \nIf you had fifteen seconds to write the largest distinct whole number possible on an index card\, what would you write? While most would look to the physical world for inspiration—counting the grains of sand in the Sahara or the atoms in the observable universe—we will explore much larger numbers. Our journey will take us beyond the limits of scientific notation\, moving from “power towers” and the mind-bending Ackermann function to the very edge of computer science. Ultimately\, we will arrive at the “Busy Beaver” sequence: numbers so unfathomably vast that they are theoretically uncomputable. Join us to explore the boundaries of language\, logic\, and the truly gargantuan.
URL:https://colleges.claremont.edu/ccms/event/gems-february-7th-session/
LOCATION:Shanahan B450\, Harvey Mudd College\, 301 Platt Blvd.\, Claremont\, 91711\, United States
CATEGORIES:GEMS
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