# Seminars & Events for Probability Seminar

September 20, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### Local Universality of Random Functions
###### Probability Seminar

In this talk, we discuss local universality results for a general class of random functions that includes random trigonometric polynomials and random orthogonal polynomials. We then apply these results to obtain estimates for the number of real roots and prove, in some cases, that this number satisfies the Central Limit Theorem. This is joint work with Van Vu.

Speaker: Oanh Nguyen, Princeton University
Location:
Fine Hall 214
October 4, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### TBA-Lionel Levine
###### Probability Seminar
Speaker: Lionel Levine, Cornell University
Location:
Fine Hall 214
October 11, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### Random interlacements and the Gaboriau-Lyons problem
###### Probability Seminar

Given a Cayley graph for a non-amenable group, can one find a factor of an IID process that gives a random forest in which the average degree is greater than 2? Gaboriau-Lyons proved that the answer is `yes’ and this has interesting applications to ergodic theory. However, they required a lower bound on the entropy of the IID process. I’ll show, via random interlacements, how to remove this restriction. One application is that every IID process is a factor of every (nontrivial) IID process.

Speaker: Lewis Bowen, University of Texas, Austin
Location:
Fine Hall 214
October 18, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### Cover time of trees and of the two dimensional sphere
###### Probability Seminar

I will begin by reviewing the general relations that exist between the cover time of graphs by random walk and the Gaussian free field on the graph, and explain the strength and limitations of these general methods. I will then discuss recent results concerning the cover time of the binary tree of depth $n$ by simple random walk, and in particular sharp fluctuation results for the cover time, mirroring those for the maximal displacement of branching random walk; certain barrier estimates for Bessel processes play a crucial role. Finally, I will describe how these technique can be applied to the study of the cover time of the 2-sphere by the Brownian sausage.

Speaker: Ofer Zeitouni, NYU Courant and Weizmann Institute
Location:
Fine Hall 214
October 18, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### TBA
###### Probability Seminar
Speaker: TBA,
Location:
Fine Hall 214
November 15, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### The KPZ fixed point
###### Probability Seminar

The KPZ universality class contains one dimensional growth models,

Speaker: Jeremy Quastel, University of Toronto
Location:
Fine Hall 214
November 29, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### TBA-Timo Seppalainen
###### Probability Seminar
Speaker: Timo Seppalainen, University of Wisconsin
Location:
Fine Hall 214
December 13, 2017
3:00pm - 4:00pm
##### TBA-Guy Bresler
###### Probability Seminar
Speaker: Guy Bresler, MIT
Location:
Fine Hall 214