RUTGERS EXPERIMENTAL MATHEMATICS SEMINAR

sponsored by the

Rutgers University
Department of Mathematics

and the

Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS)

Founded 2003 by Drew Sills and Doron Zeilberger.

Former co-organizers: Drew Sills (2003-2007), Moa ApaGodu (2005-2006), Lara Pudwell (2006-2008), Andrew Baxter (2008-2011), Brian Nakamura (2011-2013), Edinah Gnang (2011-2013), Matthew Russell (2013-2016), Nathan Fox (2016-2017), Bryan Ek (2017-2018), Mingjia Yang (2018-2020), Yonah Biers-Ariel (2018-2020), Robert Dougherty-Bliss (2020-2024), Stoyan Dimitrov (2023-2025)

Current co-organizers:
Doron Zeilberger (doronzeil {at} gmail [dot] com)
Aurora Hiveley (aurora.hiveley {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu)
Lucy Martinez (lm1154 {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu)

Archive of Previous Speakers and Talks You can find links to videos of some of these talks as well. Currently, our videos are being posted to our Vimeo page. Previously, we had videos posted on our YouTube page.


If you would like to be added to the weekly mailing list, email Lucy Martinez: lm1154 {at} scarletmail [dot] rutgers [dot] edu


Forthcoming Talks

Date: Thu., Oct. 30, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Nikolai Beluhov, Cambridge University

Title: Powers of 2 in Balanced Grid Colourings

Abstract: See here


Date: Thu., Nov. 6, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speakers: Robert Dogherty-Bliss, Dartmouth College, and Natalya Ter-Saakov, Rutgers University.

Title: Cutting Rectangles into Two Congruent Pieces

Abstract: In the March 2025 issue of Pour La Science (the French analog of Scientific American), Jean-Paul Delahaye, (the French (and contemporary) analog of Martin Gardner), solved (in collaboration with his wife, Martine Raison), the problem of counting the number of ways of cutting a 3 by 2n checkerboard into two (connected) congruent pieces, and proved the simple explicit formula 3n+1-n-1. When we asked Delahaye whether he knew the answer for a four by n rectangle, he replied that he has no clue, but the problem seems to him to be très difficile. We will describe how, with the right grammar, and some help from our silicon friends, we solved this challenging problem.
(Joint work by the two of us with Doron Zeilberger)


Date: Thu., Nov. 13, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Max Alekseyev, George Washington University

Title:Maximizing the number of integer pairs summing to powers of 2 via graph labeling and solving restricted systems of linear (in)equations

Abstract: We address the problem of finding sets of integers of a given size with a maximum number of pairs summing to powers of 2. By fixing particular pairs, this problem reduces to finding a labeling of the vertices of a given graph with pairwise distinct integers such that the endpoint labels for each edge sum up to a power of 2. We propose an efficient algorithm for this problem, which at its core relies on another algorithm that, given two sets of linear homogeneous polynomials with integer coefficients, computes all variable assignments to powers of 2 that nullify polynomials from the first set but not from the second. With the proposed algorithms, we determine the maximum size of graphs of order n that admit such a labeling for all n<=21, and construct the maximum admissible graphs for n<=20. We also identify the minimal forbidden subgraphs of order n<=11, whose presence prevents the graphs from having such a labeling.


Date: Thu., Nov. 20, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Vladimir Retakh, Rutgers University

Title: (Non)commutative integrable systems and Catalan numbers

Abstract: will discuss connections of Catalan numbers with solutions of some systems of differential equations over (non)commutive algebras.

Joint work with Ilia Gaiur and Vladimir Rubtsov


Date: Thu., Dec. 4, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

Speaker: Mei Yin, University of Denver

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Date: Thu., Dec. 11, 2025, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Spring 2026

Date: Thu., Jan. 29, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., Feb. 5, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., Feb. 12, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., Feb. 19, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., Feb. 26, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., March 5, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., March 12, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., March 19, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

NO TALK (SPRING BREAK)


Date: Thu., March 26, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., April 2, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., April 9, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., April 16, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., April 23, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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Date: Thu., April 30, 2026, 5:00pm (Eastern Time) Zoom Link [password: The 20th Catalan number, alias (40)!/(20!*21!), alias 6564120420 ]

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