Persi Diaconis
Mary V. Sunseri Professor of Statistics and Mathematics
Stanford
 

From Order to Chaos in the Blink of an Epsilon
Abstract: Natural mixing processes often show a sharp transition from order to chaos.
Examples include shuffling cards and the Metropolis algorithm. Proofs range
from group representations through 'the method of miracles'. Recently, some
order has come through a unifying conjecture of Yuval Peres. In joint work
with Laurent Saloff-Coste, this conjecture is proved for some general
classes. This is an expository survey talk for a general mathematical audience.

Thursday, April 20
312 Mathematics Building
4:30 p.m.
Tea will be served at 3:45 p.m., in 508 Mathematics Building.

and

From Characterization to Algorithm
Abstract: There are many characterization theorems, proved for their elegance with
no thought of application. A program is introduced for turning these into
useful algorithms for counting and random generation. For example, when is
a sequence of integers the degree sequence of a graph? The elegant
characterization of Erdos-Gallai turns into an extremely efficient
algorithm for generating and enumerating power law networks with
application in ecology and biology. A host of related results (connected,
directed, planar graphs and complexes with given face or Betti numbers) are
available. This is joint work with Joseph Blitzstein.

Friday, April 21
312 Mathematics Building
4:30 p.m.
Tea will be served at 3:45 p.m., in 5th Floor North Corridor, Mathematics Building.