Ten 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

Speaker: Ruijie Yang (University of Kansas)Title: p-adic zeta function, Hodge theory and hyperplane arrangementsAbstract:In 1988, Igusa observed a mysterious relationship between the poles of the p-adic zeta function and the roots of the Bernstein-Sato polynomial. This relationship was later formulated precisely by Denef and Loeser and is now known as the Strong Monodromy Conjecture. In the special case of hyperplane arrangements, Budur, Mustațǎ and Teitler proposed the n/d conjecture in 2009, which asserts that if a polynomial defines a central, essential, and indecomposable hyperplane arrangement of degree d in C^n, then -n/d must be a root of its b-function. They showed that the n/d conjecture implies the Strong Monodromy Conjecture for hyperplane arrangements.In this talk, I will discuss my recent joint work with Dougal Davis on a proof of the n/d conjecture, which draws on the theory of complex mixed Hodge modules of Sabbah and Schnell, as well as our new ''wall-crossing'' theory for V-filtrations of holonomic D-modules along local complete intersections. The latter is inspired by the recent breakthrough by Davis-Vilonen on the Schmid-Vilonen conjecture, which characterizes the unitarity of a representation of a real Lie group via Hodge theory. Furthermore, we also prove that the pole order of the Igusa zeta function is less than or equal to the multiplicity of the b-function along the real part of the pole. If time permits, I will discuss how to extend this idea to prove the Strong Monodromy Conjecture for multi-arrangements, as well as the multivariate n/d conjecture, both proposed by Budur in 2015.

MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM) invites you to our Distinguished Speaker event on the future of the defense industrial base.This session will explore how new technologies, manufacturing innovation, and industrial strategy are reshaping national security. Speakers will also examine the critical role the next generation of technical leaders will play in strengthening the defense industrial base.Agenda3:00–3:45 PMKeith Flynn, SVP of Manufacturing, Anduril Industries, in discussion with Dr. Ben Armstrong, Executive Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center3:45–4:30 PMPanel DiscussionSean Holly, CEO, AlloyChris Montferret, Vice President Strategy & Business Development, GDMS Maritime & Strategic SystemsLt. Col. Gregory "LAB" Bieler, US Air ForceJulie Shah, Department Head of MIT AeroAstro, will moderate the panelRegistration is required to attend.

Speaker: Mikhail Sodin (Tel Aviv University)Title: A curious Lagrange-Ivanov-Yomdin-type lemmaAbstract: Suppose 𝑓 is an 𝑚-smooth function on the unit ball that is small (for instance, vanishes) on an epsilon-net 𝐸 for a sufficiently small epsilon. Then the maximum of 𝑓 is controlled by the 𝐿1- norm of its 𝑚 − 𝑡ℎ derivative and its uniform norm on 𝐸. This estimate is dimensionless. The proof is not long and uses only undergraduate analysis.The talk is based on an ongoing joint work with Aleksei Kulikov and Fedor Nazarov on multi-dimensional Fourier uniqueness.

Alex Carrasco Martinez (MIT)

As the James G. Boswell Professor of Neuroscience and the PI of the Andersen Lab at CalTech, Prof. Richard Andersen researches visual physiology, specifically translational research to humans in the field of neuroprosthetics, brain-computer interfaces, and cortical repair. The Andersen Lab examines decision-making, stages in motor planning, sensory-guided movements and motion perception.Title: From Thought to Movement: Helping Paralyzed People with Brain-Machine InterfacesAbstract: Tetraplegia, the loss of movement and feeling in all four limbs, can result from spinal cord injuries at the level of the neck. Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) can help people with tetraplegia by allowing them to control assistive devices with their thoughts. A BMI consists of arrays of tiny electrodes that can record the activity of large numbers of cortical neurons and provide electrical stimulation to restore the sense of touch. The Andersen Lab has implanted arrays in a variety of specialized cortical areas rather than just the motor cortex. Using this approach, we can explore the science of how these areas process sensory and motor information and apply that knowledge to developing neural prosthetics. The lab has found that small patches of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a sensorimotor association cortical area, encodes preconsciously the intended actions of all parts of the body. Among its more sensory and cognitive functions, PPC encodes the awareness of touch, internal speech, and the observation of others. Lastly, Prof. Andersen will show a neural prosthetic application in which bimanual brain control is used in a real environment in which a participant drives a commercial vehicle.