on a busy day - one of my math chalkboards

 

1 proton per 4 cubic meters...

"More than 95% of the energy density in the universe is in a form that has never been directly detected in the laboratory! The actual density of atoms is equivalent to roughly 1 proton per 4 cubic meters."

Source: WMAP- Content of the Universe - NASA https://wmap.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_matter.html

Image - CMB Timeline300 no WMAP.jpg

Be grateful for the complex life on Earth...

Plagiate si doctorate pentru "made men"

In Romania, problema [plagiatelor si nu numai] tine de o educatie morala care trebuie sa fie sustinuta de o societate cu valori corespunzatoare. Nu-ti insusi munca altuia, nu fura, nu plagia ar trebui sa functioneze ca un automatism. 

Nu e cazul la noi in Romania (absolut ma consider roman si european, de aceea spun "la noi"), cred ca din motive istorice. Nu vad nicio solutie, poate peste o generatie, poate mai mult, va fi altfel.

Altfel, cu lucrarile doctorale care sa "revolutioneze domeniul", alea sint putine si in US! De exemplu, sute de universitati din America sint mai bine ranked ca cele din Romania, si totusi chiar si in aceste intitutii foarte putini studenti doctorali revolutioneaza ariile respective! In cele mai multe cazuri e suficient ca comisia doctorala sa vada resultate noi fie publicate deja, sau acceptate, sau sa vada rezultate noi care sint "evident publicabile" in judecata comisiei. 

Mai e ceva care nu prea se spune in Romania, iar in America se implica dar nu se accentueaza atit de des cit ar trebui: doctoratul este un INCEPUT! Dupa doctorat ar trebui sa urmeze o cercetare mai profunda. Pe undeva PhD-ul te pune intr-un "limbo" - trebuie sa te validezi. Nu pentru un CV ci pentru constiinta atingerii unei mai depline realizari profesionale. Creind si obtinind rezultate notabile intr-o arie diferita decit cea a PhD-ului. In Romania PhD-ul este adesea vazut ca "punctul omega", ajungi acolo si esti un "made man" - si asta incurajeaza implicit plagiatul (e ca in mafie: pentru a ajunge "made man", se "calca peste cadavre").

De fapt: ai PhD? Inseamna ca ti-ai demonstrat abilitatea sa creezi si sa cercetezi, ceea ce inseamna ca ulterior doctoratului este mult de lucru. Poate fi un postdoc. Poate fi o lucrare publicata (research monograph) in dezvolti o idee noua care te captiveaza si care ii captiveaza si pe colegi (peers).

Asta le-am zic la "incoming faculty", in calitate de department chair (sau, mai nou, "program lead"): trebuie sa faci ceva nou "research-wise" de care sa fi mindru.

Encounter at Farpoint

Star Trek TNG's pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint" (1987) concluded today on Heroes and Icons HD. 

Wonderful. It's a must see, but for everybody I paste here the plot from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounter_at_Farpoint

In 2364, the new flagship of the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet's USS Enterprise, travels to the planet Deneb IV for its maiden voyage. Enterprise is to open relations with the simple Bandi people who have somehow been able to tap immense energy reserves and construct Farpoint Station, much to the surprise of the Federation. En route, the Enterprise is met by an omnipotent being who identifies himself as Q, a member of the Q Continuum—posing in appearance as a Grand Inquisitor—who declares that humanity is being put on trial then decides that their actions in their upcoming mission will be used to judge their worthiness and determine their fate as a race. Before letting the ship resume its course, Q warns Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) that he is destined to fail. As the Enterprise arrives, the crew members explore the offerings of Farpoint Station and establish relations with their Bandi host, Groppler Zorn (Michael Bell). The crew becomes suspicious when items they desire seem to appear out of nowhere moments later, and are unable to identify the power source that feeds the station. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), an empath, senses a being with powerful yet despairing emotions nearby, and the crew discover a strange labyrinth beneath the station, but Zorn does not offer an explanation. As the Enterprise crew continues its explorations, a large unknown alien craft enters orbit and begins to fire upon an older Bandi settlement near Farpoint Station, and abducts Zorn. Before Picard orders the ship's phasers to be fired at the craft, Q appears to remind him of humanity's trial and prompts Picard to send an away team to the alien craft. The away team discovers the craft has passages similar to those under Farpoint and they are able to free Zorn. Their actions cause the alien craft to transform into a jellyfish-like space creature, and Picard is able to deduce the mystery of Farpoint Station. He confirms with the apologetic Zorn that the Bandi found a similar lifeform injured on their planet and, while attempting to care for it, they also exploited its ability to synthesize matter to create Farpoint Station. The creature now in orbit is trying to help free its mate by attacking those who hold it captive. Though Q goads Picard into punishing the Bandi, Picard refuses, instead ordering the Enterprise to fire a vivifying energy beam onto Farpoint after the station is evacuated. The beam allows the land-bound creature to transform back into its jellyfish-like form, and it flies into orbit to join its fellow being. As the crew watches the reunion of the alien creatures, Q reluctantly tells Picard that the humans have succeeded in their test, but hints that they will meet again.

ONU Undergraduate Research Colloquium 2022 - my students' posters

 

In the Chemistry area today...

 

Opt Art: From Mathematical Optimization to Visual Design | Prof. Robert Bosch | Talks at Google

 

Robert (Bob) Bosch - James F. Clark Professor of Mathematics at OBERLIN COLLEGE

Not your average Calculus class

Music in the service of improving mathematical learning in college. Hopefully it worked!

One more week of school - fall 2021

 

Mary Reichelderfer Chair 2021-2022: my diploma

 

Chalkboard picture - to remember

Local problem group (ONU-SOLVE) working on a problem proposed by M. Tetiva (problem 12126, American Mathematical Monthly). That was a very nice evening!

© Mihai Caragiu

 

Memories: math summer camps for the gifted (SAHI at Ohio Northern, 2015)

 

 

Beautiful minds: gifted students participating in the 2015 ONU Summer Academic Honors Institute - Cryptography Camp

© Mihai Caragiu

 

Being a professor from the heart

Written and Performed By: Arthur Benjamin, Mike Orrison, Francis Su, and Heather Zinn-Brooks 

Edited By: Ariel Benjamin 

Harvey Mudd College 

My 2021 teaching award

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Mihai Caragiu

 

My "hattrick year" as a professor

When my student advisees won 3 awards (out of 36) at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in New Orleans

Pi Day

Memories... 

Pi Day 2003

 

A Peek Into the Physics Students' Lounge at ONU

 © Mihai Caragiu