Wednesday, September 30, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Birational cubic fourfolds via an Enriques Cremona transformation

Lisa Marquand , Rutgers University

Abstract: Let X be a very general cubic fourfolds containing an Enriques surface. Such a cubic is conjecturally irrational. A conjecture of Huybrechts predicts that there exists a unique non isomorphic cubic fourfolds Y birational to X. We explicitly construct Y via a new Cremona transform of the ambient projective space and verify the conjecture.

This is joint work with Corey Brooke.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Rank and level for symplectic and orthogonal groups

Yuqiao Huang, Rutgers University

Abstract: The level and the rank of characters of finite classical groups have been studied in the work of Guralnick, Larsen, and Tiep (Forum Math. Pi 2020; Invent. Math. 2024). Following their strategy, we establish similar results, for finite symplectic groups in odd characteristic, and for finite orthogonal groups in characteristic 2.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Finiteness and Boundedness for Calabi-Yau Varieties

Daniil Serebrennikov, Johns Hopkins University

Abstract: Grothendieck’s foundational work [EGA IV] shows that many geometric properties of fibers in a projective family, for example smoothness, define constructible subsets of the base. However, one natural property is absent from this list: given a fiber, is the locus of points whose fibers are isomorphic to it constructible? Surprisingly, this question is closely related to the Minimal Model Program and the Kawamata-Morrison cone conjecture. In this talk, I will explain the relationship between the conjecture and this constructibility problem and show how it leads to finiteness results for Calabi-Yau varieties in a fixed birational class.

friday, October 23, 2026 · 2:15–3:15 PM · Hill Center 705

The characteristic polynomial of finite dimensional algebras

Rongwei Yang, University of Albany/SUNY

Abstract: For a tuple of square matrices $A=(A_1, …, A_n)$ of equal size, its characteristic polynomial is defined as $\det (z_0I+z_1A_1+\cdots +z_nA_n)$, where I is the identity matrix and z_j are complex variables. If ${\mathcal A}$ is a n-dimensional complex algebra, then its structure constants give rise to n square matrices of size n. The characteristic polynomial of the structural matrices enables one to study the algebra ${\mathcal A}$ using geometric, topological, and number theoretic means. In this talk, we will consider examples involving Lie algebras and finite groups.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Maximum Likelihood Degrees via One-Edge Chordal Completion

Nilava Metya, Rutgers University

Abstract: The maximum likelihood degree of a Gaussian graphical model is an algebraic measure of complexity of solving its likelihood equations. I will talk the the maximum likelihood degrees of Gaussian graphical models through chordal completion. When a graph becomes chordal after one missing edge is added, its maximum likelihood degree is determined by the maximal cliques and clique-tree separators containing that edge. This recovers one of the three known broad classes of formulas, namely Uhler’s formula for bipartite graphs with one partition of size two. We also introduce a natural operation called the “clique blow-up” and determine four classes of vertices at which clique blow-up preserves the degree. This talk is based on https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.19669.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Title: TBD

Elena Sammarco, ICERM, Brown University

Abstract: TBD

Wednesday, November 11, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Title: TBD

Lorenzo Christopher Vanzi, Rutgers University

Abstract: TBD

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 · 2:00–3:00 PM · Hill Center 525

Title: TBD

TBD, TBD

Abstract: TBD