HGS MathComp Curriculum & Events

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We will look at progress in Linear Programming (LP) and Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) software over the last 25 years. As a result of this progress, modern LP codes are capable of robustly and efficiently solving instances with multiple millions of variables and constraints.

With these LP advances as a foundation, MIP provides the modeling framework and the key solution technology behind prescriptive analytics. The performance improvements in MIP codes have been nothing short of remarkable, well beyond those of LP, and have transformed this technology into an out-of-the box tool with an almost unlimited range of real-world applications.

Math Goes Public lectures address a wide audience in natural and social sciences and engineering: They show how Mathematics helps explaining many different phenomena. I present dew drops on spider webs, a beautiful example for nonlinear problems. In these problems different components inter react, defining one of the most fascinating areas of modern Mathematics. Locally like linear problems, fascinating unexpected scenarios of new critical solutions with new properties do occur: The original symmetry or stability of solutions gets lost, called symmetry or stability breaking bifurcation with structural consequences. Why are only lines of drops observed along spider threads? We present the essential aspects of a mathematical model with very interesting mathematical challenges and the corresponding numerical methods yielding some plots. This complicated problem has never been studied before. In Marburg Karlheinz Schild, Bernhard Schmitt and I made it.

Joint event with SIAM Chapter Heidelberg

Privacy is a natural need that is not only important for individuals but also for the evolution of society. This includes online privacy as a lot of social interaction happens over the Internet. In this talk I explain what connects the mathematical topic of post-quantum cryptography to the social question of online privacy. Afterwards I will give a brief introduction to post-quantum cryptography and the related mathematical areas, touching on recent developments and open challenges.

This lecture is jointly organized by the IWR and the BioQuant.

Collective cell motion is a common phenomenon occurring in normal development, repair and disease. Many different types of theoretical models have been proposed for this phenomenon, ranging from systems of partial differential equations, to hybrid cellular automata and discrete cell based models. I will review some recent work we have done in this area, with application to cancer invasion, cranial neural crest migration and epithelial sheet movement.

Studies of the nervous system are performed at multiple system levels, beginning with the structure and function of single molecules (e.g. ion channels), electrochemical processes at the level of single cells (e.g. generation of action potentials, synaptic transmission), activity in multi-neuronal networks (e.g., processing of visual inputs in the retina), large-scale spatiotemporal patterns in the nervous system (e.g., brain-wide activation patterns during cognitive task performance) and, ultimately, at the cognitive-behavioral level of the whole organism (perception, motion, decision making, emotions etc.). In real live, processes at all these levels work together, such that simple bottom-up or top-down models of brain function are far too simple.

This complexity is one of the reasons why mathematical approaches are indispensable in modern neuroscience. We are dealing with highly parallel data, e.g. simultaneous recordings from multiple neurons in electrophysiology, or from millions of volume elements in functional brain imaging. In addition, the emergent properties of complex systems like neuronal networks cannot be simply predicted from linear causal relations and, thus, are often inferred from computer simulations. Third, we are beginning to reveal more and more structural details of the brain – the functional consequences of these boundary conditions are again a topic for mathematicians and network scientists.

In my presentation, I will exemplify some major research problems and approaches of modern neuroscience, focusing on the level of neuronal networks. Our leading question is: How does the brain represent a perception, a memory, a planned action or a motor program? Most neuroscientists agree that this ‘coding’ is performed by multiple cells which are co-activated in a reproducible manner. These sets of neurons are called ensembles or, in other research traditions, assemblies. They can be reproducibly activated even by incomplete input patterns, forming stable spatio-temporal structures or (in one specific approach) attractors in the network’s state-space. In most cases, activation of ensembles happens on top of synchronous network oscillations which provide a temporal scaffold (or ‘clock’) for coordination of the multi-neuronal activity pattern.

In this presentation, we shall discuss the concept of ensembles and its implications for the multiplicity, stability and plasticity of different representations. We will highlight some specific questions based on own and other’s data, mainly from memory-forming networks in the rodent hippocampus. Key questions are: What are the key properties of hippocampal ensembles? How are single neurons bound into reproducible spatiotemporal patterns? How are non-participating neurons reliably suppressed during activation of a given ensemble? How are local ensembles bound into large-scale functional networks?

All of these questions require multidisciplinary approaches including cell and systems physiology, behavioral neurosciences and, importantly, advanced data analysis and mathematical modelling. The importance of (and sometimes lack of) generally accepted quantitative models of neuronal networks, their cellular constituents and their large-scale effects will become clear from each of the multiple open questions mentioned during the presentation.

We cordially invite all members of the IWR and the HGS MathComp to join us at our 2016 summer party.

As usual, in accordance with university guidelines, we have to charge 10,- EUR per person to cover expenses - children attend free of charge.

We are offering complimentary child care services for children between the age of 2 and 12.

July 28, 2016 • 18:00
Mathematikon • Atrium
Im Neuenheimer Feld 205
69120 Heidelberg

! Please make sure to register online for the event !
(Registration Deadline: June 26, 2016)

Online Registration

Further inquiries:
Ria Lynott (ria.lynott@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de)

The summer school is jointly organized by IWR, Universität Heidelberg, Germany and the Department for Applied Mathematics, Walailak University, Thailand. The school brings together experts from Germany and Thailand to lecture on various topics of Scientific Computing.

Perception is a key component of every intelligent system as it enables actions within a changing environment. While humans perceive their environment with seemingly little efforts, computers first need to be trained for these tasks. One of the biggest challenges in computer vision are ambiguities which arise due to the complex nature of our environment and the information loss caused by observing two-dimensional projections of our three-dimensional world. In this talk, I will present several recent results in stereo estimation, 3D reconstruction and motion estimation which integrate high-level non-local prior knowledge for resolving ambiguities that can´t be resolved using local assumptions alone. Furthermore, I will discuss the "curse of dataset annotation" and present a method for augmenting video sequences efficiently with semantic information.

Location:
Mathematikon (Building B)
Seminar Room / 3rd Floor
Berliner Straße 43
69120 Heidelberg

Interactive physics-based simulations are now capable of reproducing a growing number of motion skills, often with a focus on generating agile-and-robust locomotion. In this talk, I review recent progress in simulation-based models of human and animal motion as used for computer animation, where they seek to replace simpler kinematic models based on motion-capture.

We will discuss the roles of optimization, machine learning, and simplified models in these approaches, as well as what insights might be shared between robotics and our simulation-based work in animation. A wide variety of animated results will be shown to illustrate the capabilities of current methods. I_ll also identify several research directions where we still need to see significant progress.

CV:

Michiel van de Panne is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), with research interests that span computer graphics, computer animation, and robotics, with a strong focus on modeling human and animal motion and the motor skills that underly their movement. He recently completed 10 years as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Computer Graphics and Animation at UBC. In 2002, he co-founded the ACM/Eurographics Symposium on Computer Animation (SCA), the leading forum dedicated to computer animation research, and has served for many years on its steering committee. He has served as Associate Editor of ACM Transactions on Graphics and regularly serves on program committees that include ACM SIGGRAPH and SCA. He has served as conference co-chair for CAS 1997, SCA 2002, Graphics Interface 2005, SBIM 2007, and SCA 2011. His research has been recognized with an NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement and grants from NSERC, GRAND, Adobe, and MITACS. His research has been used in games, visual effects for film, games, and robotics.

HGS MathComp Ladyshenskaya Lecture

Although in nature there is nothing really unbounded problems for partial differential equations in unbounded domains are often used to model certain geometries. Thereby the behavior at infinity of the solutions plays an important role in the modeling process. For elliptic problems, including the stationary Stokes system in particular, a broad theory exists for various kinds of unbounded domains. There results on spatial asymptotics typically appear as a decomposition of the solution into explicitely known terms and a remainder with corresponding estimates. In contrast to this very little is known about time dependent problems. Here we consider time periodic solutions to the Stokes problem in a layer where the data are also time periodic and smooth with bounded support for simplicity.

The human sensorimotor control system has exceptional abilities to perform skilful action despite ever changing conditions. I will discuss
how this adaptability can result through intrinsic feedback mechanisms in two different ways: sensory feedback driving feedforward adaptation;
and feedforward adaptation in turn adapting the feedback responses and tuning them to the environment. In the first part of my talk I will
examine how prior sensorimotor cues can be used to learn independent motor memories. These results suggests that motor memories are encoded
not simply as a mapping from current state to motor command but are encoded in terms of the recent history of sensorimotor states. However
learning can also be used to adjust intrinsic feedback control. The second half of my talk will focus on a few recent studies examining
feedback responses; demonstrating both how they are modulated for control and using them to probe the underlying mechanisms of visually
guided reaching. Finally I will present work demonstrate that the visuomotor feedback gain shows a temporal evolution related to task
demands (as predicted by optimal control) and that this evolution can be flexibly recomputed within 100 ms to accommodate online modifications to
task goals.

Research Posters have to meet several requirements: raising attention for your research project through an attractive design, summarizing the relevant information concisely and self-explaining, and generating a discussion about your work.
In the workshop you will learn about basic design aspects of research posters and receive feedback on your own draft. The course content will be as following:

- Part 1: „Design“– reducing complex content; layout principles; use of visual elements; technical tips; working on a first draft
- In-between: creating your own poster
- Part 2: short presentations; feedback on drafts/posters

You may bring along posters in English or German. Please note that software related questions (e.g. MS Powerpoint, InDesign, …) are not addressed in the course.

Please register
here

An important part in research is presenting your results. This course will help you to prepare for the presentation of your research in seminars, at conferences or in your disputation. In the course we will work on the following topics:

-How do I structure my talk to make it more effective?
-How do I use media efficiently?
-What do I have to bear in mind to address my audience most effectively?
-How can I improve my performance through feedback?

The course requires participants to be actively involved by giving a presentation. Therefore you are expected to prepare a short presentation on your research topic beforehand or after the first day of the workshop.
Systematic feedback (from the group, the tutor, and video) will help you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, to try out new presentation strategies and thus to improve your presentation skills.
Please note: This is not a language course.

Please register
here

Teaching undergraduate students is an effective way to enhance your own knowledge about your research field. Additionally, you develop communication skills relevant for a career within or outside academia.

This two-day course covers the basics of professional University teaching. You will improve your methodological knowledge about the teaching–learning interaction and how that setting can be influenced effectively. The aim is to reach a level of learner-centered teaching that leads to a deep-level learning approach on the side of the students. Hence, interaction with and motivation of the students is in the focus of this course.

- Basic principles of teaching and learning
- Understanding your role as a teacher
- Didactical planning of a course or lesson
- Defining learning objectives – designing learning activities
- Co-operative learning

The course work comprises of short inputs, discussion, group work and individual reflection of personal experiences. Participants are asked to be actively involved in the course by working on their own teaching tasks.

Please register
here

Verschiedene Kameras und die Grundlagen des Fotografierens werden vorgestellt. Dabei wird auf Blenden- und Zeitautomatik sowie Sensorgröße und ISO-Wert eingegangen. Beleuchtung, Stativ und Drehteller werden als Hilfsmittel genannt, um dann auf die speziellen Anforderungen beim Aufnehmen von 3D-Objekten einzugehen. In einem praktischen Teil macht man sich selbst mit verschiedenen Kameras vertraut und versucht unterschiedliche Beispielobjekte aufzunehmen. Über Nacht wird die vom IWR bereitgestellte kommerzielle Software aus den ca. sieben unterschiedlichen Fotoserien 3D-Objekte berechnen, die dann am nächsten Tag beurteilt werden können. Anhand der im Programm vorgesehenen Nachbearbeitung der Einzelbilder können nochmal bessere Ergebnisse erzielt werden.

Do, 11. August, 9h30, Seminarraum 10
9h30 - 12h30: Theorie der Fotografie mit praktischen Tipps in Bezug auf SfM-Fotogrfie
= Mittagspause =
13h30 - 17h00: Fotografieren von Beispielobjekten, eigene Fotos aufbereiten und 3D-Modellberechnung starten

Fr, 12. August, 9h30, Seminarraum 10 und Virtual Reality Raum 05.103
9h30 - 12h30: Theorie der Entfernungsbestimmung, Algorithmen zur Berechnungen der 3D-Modelle
= Mittagspause =
13h30 - 16h00: Beurteilung der Ergebnisse vom Vortag, Nachbearbeitung und Programmbedienung


Vom Dozenten und vom Graphiklabor des IWR werden verschiedene Kameras und Objektive zur Verfügung gestellt, aber auch eigene Kameras können mitgebracht und gegen die vorhandenen Systeme getestet werden.