The 39th Annual Ostrom Lecture, originally scheduled for March 23, has been postponed until the fall.
The annual Theodore G. Ostrom lecture brings internationally renowned mathematics scholars to the Pullman campus each year, in honor of Emeritus Ostrom who retired from WSU in 1981 after 21 years on faculty.
The event originally scheduled for March 23 will be postponed to the fall semester.
The lecture this year will be presented by Dr. Donald Saari, Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematics and Economics, and Director of the Institute of Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, at University of California, Irvine.
Title: From the perils of voting to the compelling dark matter mystery of astronomy
Abstract: A power of mathematics is how it can connect and advance seemingly disparate topics. This is illustrated in this lecture where it is indicated why certain voting rules, including the ones we commonly use, can have election outcomes that violate the voters’ intent! It is then shown how lessons learned from “voting” translate into an understanding of that astronomical mystery of dark matter and how it should be analyzed. Background needed in order to follow the lecture is a sense of curiosity, humor, and the ability to add simple numbers.
Please contact the Department of Mathematics and Statistics with any questions!
