Thomas Drechsel Univ. of Maryland

Speaker: Adam Logan (Tutte Institute and Carleton University)Title: Kodaira dimension of Hilbert modular threefoldsAbstract:Following a method introduced by Thomas-Vasquez and developed by Grundman, we prove that many Hilbert modular threefolds of arithmetic genus $0$ and $1$ are of general type, and that some are of nonnegative Kodaira dimension. The new ingredient is a detailed study of the geometry and combinatorics of totally positive integral elements $x$ of a fractional ideal $I$ in a totally real number field $K$ with the property that tr $xy < $ min $I$ tr $y$ for some $y \gg 0 \in K$.

John Waugh Lecture

Joel Leibo, senior staff research scientist at Google DeepMind and professor at King's College London, will speak in Singleton Auditorium as part of the Quest and CBMM seminar series on March 4th.Title: A theory of Appropriateness with Applications to Generative Artificial IntelligenceAbstract: What is appropriateness? Humans navigate a multi-scale mosaic of interlocking notions of what is appropriate for different situations. We act one way with our friends, another with our family, and yet another in the office. Likewise for AI, appropriate behavior for a comedy-writing assistant is not the same as appropriate behavior for a customer-service representative. What determines which actions are appropriate in which contexts? And what causes these standards to change over time? Since all judgments of AI appropriateness are ultimately made by humans, we need to understand how appropriateness guides human decision making in order to properly evaluate AI decision making and improve it. In this talk, I will present a theory of appropriateness: how it functions in human society, how it may be implemented in the brain, and what it means for responsible deployment of generative AI technology.

Writing a journal article can be a daunting task, characterized by frustration instead of progress. This four-part workshop series will breakdown the task of writing an empirical journal article into manageable pieces so that you can move your project forward. Led by WCC lecturer Adrienne Tierney, Ed.D, we will discuss how to approach each section and how to use writing as a problem-solving tool in creating a meaningful paper that conveys your research clearly and effectively. We encourage you to attend all sessions of the series, but you are also welcome to sign up for separate sessions.Part 1. Getting Started: Creating a Plan and Drafting an IntroductionTuesday, February 11th, 4:00-5:30pmPart 2. Getting to the Data: Methods and ResultsTuesday, February 18th, 4:00-5:30pmPart 3. Interpreting Your Findings: DiscussionTuesday, February 25th, 4:00-5:30pmPart 4. From Paper to Publication: Revision and SubmissionTuesday, March 4th, 4:00-5:30pm

Please join us as we celebrate the launch of our traveling exhibition highlighting the rich history of Afrofuturism in music. Attendees are welcome to interact with the digital installations, allowing further exploration of media and content from key figures of Afrofuturism. This event includes a welcome by Dr. Alexia Hudson-Ward; Associate Director of Research & Learning and Strategic Partnerships, and Avery Boddie; Lewis Music Library Department Head. Reception to follow.This event is presented as part of Artfinity: A celebration of creativity and community at MIT.