Wednesday, April 9, 2025
- 9:30 AM1h 30mA series of lecturesSpeaker: Alex Lubotzky (Weizmann Institute & the Hebrew University, Simons Distinguished Visiting Professor, MIT)Title: High Dimensional Expanders (HDX) and their applications in pure math and computer scienceAbstract:Expander graphs have been an intensive topic of research in math and CS during the last six decades. In the last two decades a high dimensional theory has emerged with (very different) applications in math & CS.In this series of 8 independent (but related) lectures we present some aspects of the theory of HDX and its applications, a number of open problems and suggestions for further research.A more detailed plan:1. Thursday 2/20/25, 4:30pm, 2-190 (Math Colloquium); refreshments served at 4pm  Introduction: three main problems(a) Gromov overlapping property(b) Locally testable codes(c) Are all groups sofic?2. Tuesday 2/25/25, 4:15-5:15pm, 32-G449 (Theory of Computing Colloquium), refreshments served at 4pmGood Locally testable codes3. Wednesday 2/26/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Expander graphs: combinatorics, spectral gap, representation theory(Kazhdan property (T), property (\tau) and more) and property testing4. Wednesday 3/5/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Geometric & topological expanders, Coboundary expanders, Random simplicial complexes and Property testing5. Wednesday 3/12/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449From Ramanujan graphs to Ramanujan complexes6. Wednesday 3/19/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Stability and group approximation, Garland Theorem and the p-adic Deligne central extensionsWednesday 3/26/25 - Spring vacation7. Wednesday 4/2/26, 9:30-11am, 2-449Some more CS: Agreement tests, direct product test; PCP8. Wednesday 4/9/25, 9:30-11am, 2-449Are there non-sofic groups? The Aldous-Lyons conjecture and more
- 11:00 AM45mMIT Museum Highlights TourJoin a member of our Visitor Experience Team for this 45-minute introductory tour of the MIT Museum. Learn about the collection, our history, and get your questions answered by our gallery experts. Space is limited, please speak to a visitor experience representative at the admission desk when purchasing museum tickets if you would like to participate in the tour.Every Wednesday at 11am Free with museum admission
- 12:00 PM1hTai Chi - Virtual ClassA martial art known for its many health benefits, tai chi is a moving study in meditation.Designed for small spaces, this class covers fundamental skills including postures, hand, and footwork. A short Yang style tai chi form will be taught.Special clothing is not necessary, but athletic shoes and loose fitting pants are recommended.Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this website, you'll need to create one. This is fee-based class and open to the entire MIT community.
- 12:00 PM1h 30mGlobal Space Infrastructure and U.S. Grand StrategyProfessor Aaron Bateman from George Washington University will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.Drawing from archival work in a half dozen countries, Professor Bateman will discuss how the United States has leveraged allies since the Cold War to secure access to vital real estate abroad that enables it to project power through space. In analyses of space competition, scholars and policy experts have focused on activities in orbit and neglected the global terrestrial infrastructure necessary for military and civilian space operations. Access to overseas territories for basing space infrastructure has long been a source of comparative U.S. advantage and has important implications for U.S. - China competition today.
- 12:10 PM50mConcerts in the ChapelORSEL presents concerts each month by MIT-affiliated artists, holding space in the Chapel for stillness and reflection — February 12, March 12, April 9, and May 14. Drop in anytime and enjoy tasty mORSELs after each concert!Valerie K. Chen, cello (February 12)Join EECS PhD student Valerie K. Chen for a midday contemplation of resilience, reconciliation, and compassion through the voice of the solo cello. Carson Marshall and Umer Piracha (March 12) Leon Guallart Diaz (April 9)TBA (May 14) PREVIOUS ARTISTS:Carson Marshall and Natalie Lin Douglas (December 4)Violinist and Meditation guide Carson Marshall and MIT Associate Professor of Music Natalie Lin Douglas present a concert combining guided meditation with live classical music, providing tools for cultivating presence, deep listening, and emotional regulation. Musical selections will include works by Bach, Anna Clyne, and improvisations with violin and Shruti box.Past Concerts:Leo Eguchi: UNACCOMPANIED (November 6)MIT Affiliated Artist Leo Eguchi, cello, presents selections from his immigration themed solo performance project, UNACCOMPANIED, featuring newly commissioned works by immigrant and first generation American composers.Evan Ziporyn: Sonic Holograms (October 2)Evan Ziporyn, Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Music at MIT & Faculty Director of MIT CAST, weaves live clarinet, bass clarinet, wind synth, effects boxes and loop pedals into a multidimensional, immersive and meditative auditory journey.Christine Southworth: Mushroom Modulations (September 4)Multi-media composer and MIT alum Christine Southworth will make music by “listening” to slight electrical variations in live colonies she has grown via electrodes placed on different parts of the fruiting growth and converted to sound.
- 2:30 PM1h 30mDevelopment SeminarGender Gaps across the Spectrum of Development: Local Talent and Firm Productivity | Oriana Bandiera
- 2:45 PM15mMIT@2:50 - Ten Minutes for Your MindTen minutes for your mind@2:50 every day at 2:50 pm in multiple time zones:Europa@2:50, EET, Athens, Helsinki (UTC+2) (7:50 am EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88298032734Atlantica@2:50, EST, New York, Toronto (UTC-4) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85349851047Pacifica@2:50, PST, Los Angeles, Vancouver (UTC=7) (5:50 pm EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85743543699Almost everything works better again if you unplug it for a bit, including your mind. Stop by and unplug. Get the benefits of mindfulness without the fuss.@2:50 meets at the same time every single day for ten minutes of quiet together.No pre-requisite, no registration needed.Visit the website to view all @2:50 time zones each day.at250.org or at250.mit.edu
- 3:30 PM1h 15mProf. Cassandra Callmann, University of Texas/AustinMIT Program in Polymers and Soft Matter (PPSM) Seminar
- 4:00 PM1hMen's Tennis vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTime: 1:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA
- 4:15 PM1hHarvard-MIT Inorganic Seminar with Professor Amie Boal (Penn State)
- 4:30 PM1hBaseball vs. Mitchell CollegeTime: 12:00 PMLocation: New London, CT
- 5:00 PM1hSoftball vs. Brown UniversityTime: 12:00 PMLocation: Providence, RI
- 5:15 PM2h 45mThe Table - Lutheran Episcopal MinistryEvery Wednesday night you are invited to come to The Table for peaceful Christian worship in the Chapel at 5:15 pm and dinner in the Main Dining Room of W11 at 6:30 pm.We worship with beautiful songs, open conversation about the Scriptures, prayers and a simple sharing of communion around the altar. Then we enjoy dinner together and good company together. Whether you come every week or just drop by once in a while, there is a caring community for you at the Table.You are truly welcome to come as you are: undergrad, grad, or post-doc; sure of your faith or wondering what it is all about; gay, straight, bi, trans*, questioning. Please join us for no-pressure worship and fellowship.Hosted by the Lutheran Epsicopal Ministry @ MIT. For more information, or to verify gathering times during holiday and vacation periods, please contact chaplains Andrew Heisen (heisen@mit.edu) and Kevin Vetiac (kvet246@mit.edu).
- 5:30 PM1hActive Gentle Yoga - Virtual ClassMany people think gentle yoga is too easy and not an effective form of fitness. Think again! You can practice yoga in ways that are both active and gentle at the same time.Come enjoy the many known benefits of yoga through:the practice of active yet gentle, rhythmic movementheld yoga poses and vinyasa flow (moving from pose to pose via the breath)pranayam (breath work)relaxation and meditationIn this well-rounded class, Celeste LeMieux, 500 hr certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor, provides clear instructions and modifications, making it accessible and beneficial to practitioners of all ages and stages of yoga practice and life.You will leave class feeling both stretched and strengthened while also feeling more calm and relaxed. This class is the perfect mid-week reset for body and mind. Come see how less really can be more!Registration is required on our wellness class website. If you do not already have an account on this website, you'll need to create one. This is fee-based class and open to the entire MIT community.
- 5:30 PM1h 25mRefuge @ MIT: weekly worship, prayer & Bible Study.Refuge @ MIT. Join our weekly gathering for Christian students and seekers as we have worship, prayer and Bible study each Wednesday evening. We share some food and enjoy an in depth Bible study, open to all students at MIT.
- 7:00 PM1hWomen's Lacrosse vs. Endicott CollegeTime: 1:00 PMLocation: Beverly, MA