Seminar on the History and
Exploration of Math Problems (S.H.E.M.P.)
Fall 2008, Fridays 1:40-2:35, Gilbreath Hall room 304
Spring 2009, Fridays 12:35-1:30, Gilbreath Hall room 304

Shemp Howard (March 4, 1895 - November 22, 1955)
(From www.thenoiseboard.com)

S.H.E.M.P. is a sequence of seminars meant to supplement undergraduate and graduate level math classes. Topics which arise in passing in these classes will be explored in depth. Topics to be covered will hopefully include: philosophy and math, set theory and the set theoretic development of the natural numbers, the Axiom of Choice, the Banach-Tarski Paradox, the Continuum Hypothesis, Godel's Theorem and incompleteness, the completeness and uniqueness of the real numbers, the work of Archimedes, the work of Riemann, non-Euclidean Geometry, the Shape of Space, the Poincare "Conjecture", the history of algebra and the quintic, integral equations, alternate approaches to the definition of Lebesgue measure, manifolds, the number of functions mapping the reals to the reals, proof of the irrationality and transcendence of p and e, space filling curves, continuous and nowhere differentiable functions, basis of extension fields, history of math research in the U.S., the quaternions, and Riemann surfaces.

The seminar will be rather informal, though the math presented will be highly formal. Check back for updates and schedule changes. Most of the seminars will be presented by lead stooge Dr. Robert "Moe-Bob" Gardner.

Tentative Outline
DATE
TOPIC
LEVEL (RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND)
September 5
Introduction to Math Philosophy and Meaning (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
September 12
Introduction to Math Philosophy and Meaning (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
September 19
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Graduate comprehensive exams administered today.)
-
September 26
Euclidean Geometry ( PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
October 3
Euclidean Geometry ( PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
October 10
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Dr. Bob has other obligations)
Freshman (high school)
October 17
Euclidean Geometry ( PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
October 24
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Dr. Bob and others out of town at A.M.S. meeting.)
-
October 31
Euclidean Geometry ( PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
November 7
Hyperbolic Geometry (NonEuclidean Geometry) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
November 14
Hyperbolic Geometry (NonEuclidean Geometry) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
November 21
Hyperbolic Geometry (NonEuclidean Geometry) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
November 28
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Thanksgiving holiday.)
-
December 5
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Graduate comprehensive exams administered today.)
-
January 16
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Planning stage for spring semester.)
-
January 23
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Planning stage for spring semester.)
-
January 30
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Graduate comprehensive exams administered today.)
-
February 6
Hyperbolic Geometry (Review) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
February 13
Hyperbolic Geometry (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
February 20
Hyperbolic Geometry (Completion) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
February 27
The Global Topology of the Universe (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
March 6
Guest Lecture
Shemp Memorial Day!
(Marking Shemp's 114 birthday on March 4.)
-
March 13
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Spring Break.)
-
March 20
The Global Topology of the Universe (Conclusion) (PDF, PS)
Freshman (high school)
March 27
An Alternate Approach to the Measure of a Set of Real Numbers (PDF, PS)
Graduate (Real Analysis 1/MATH 5210)
April 3
Transcendental Numbers (by R. B. Beeler)
Special Time: 1:40-2:30, Special Place: Gilbreath 313
Sophomore (Math Reasoning/MATH 2800)
April 10
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Dr. Bob isn't well!)
-
April 17
An Alternate Approach to the Measure of a Set of Real Numbers (PDF, PS)
Graduate (Real Analysis 1/MATH 5210)
April 24
An Alternate Approach to the Measure of a Set of Real Numbers (PDF, PS)
Graduate (Real Analysis 1/MATH 5210)
May 1
No S.H.E.M.P. seminar
(Graduate comprehensive exams administered today.)
-

Thanks to everyone who attended the first S.H.E.M.P. seminar on September 5, 2008! Over 40 participants were present, including several Math honors-in-Discipline students. Four "Belly Buster" pizzas from Buck's were easily dispatched!



Of related interest is "The Three Stooges Statistics" webpage.

Some inspiration for the "SHEMP Seminar" comes from these previous, similarly motivated seminars:

Dartmouth College's "BEAVIS Seminar"

ETSU's "BUTTHEAD Seminar"

Return to Bob Gardner's webpage.

Last revised February 7, 2010.