G-Research Distinguished Speaker Series: Taming Infinities, with Professor Sir Martin Hairer

We’re excited to announce the latest talk in the G-Research Distinguished Speaker Series, which will be given by Imperial College London Professor and recipient of the Fields Medal, Professor Sir Martin Hairer.

Professor Hairer is a leading mathematician in the field of stochastic analysis. His work focuses on generating equations which accurately describe seemingly random motions in time and space. He was recently awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics (2021) for his work with the seemingly fluid dynamic at play when stirring a cup of tea.

The talk: Taming Infinities

Some physical and mathematical theories have the unfortunate feature that if one takes them at face value, many quantities of interest appear to be infinite! What’s worse, this doesn’t just happen for some exotic pieces of abstract mathematics, but in the standard theories describing some of the most fundamental aspects of nature. Various techniques, usually going under the common name of “renormalisation”, have been developed over the years to address this, allowing mathematicians and physicists to tame these infinities. We will dip our toes into some of the conceptual and mathematical aspects of these techniques and we will see how they have recently been used in probability theory to study equations whose meaning was not even clear until now.

Please note that this will be a technical talk that assumes at least an undergraduate level of understanding in a technical subject.

Event details

The event will be held remotely, so you’ll be able to join from the comfort of your own home via video link.

It will take place at 18:00-19:00 (BST), Tuesday, 8 June 2021.

Registration

To register your interest, please apply here.

Unfortunately we expect a high number of registrations for the event, and we may not be able to accommodate everyone. Please be sure to apply early!