The C&O department has 36 faculty members and 60 graduate students. We are intensely research oriented and hold a strong international reputation in each of our six major areas:
- Algebraic combinatorics
- Combinatorial optimization
- Continuous optimization
- Cryptography
- Graph theory
- Quantum computing
Read more about the department's research to learn of our contributions to the world of mathematics!
News
Three C&O faculty win Outstanding Performance Awards
The awards are given each year to faculty members across the University of Waterloo who demonstrate excellence in teaching and research.
Sina Kalantarzadeh wins Governor General's Gold Medal
The Governor General’s Gold Medal is one of the highest student honours awarded by the University of Waterloo.
Two C&O faculty win Outstanding Performance Awards
The awards are given each year to faculty members across the University of Waterloo who demonstrate excellence in teaching and research.
Events
Crypto Reading Group on quantum computing | Quantum Information Theory
| Speaker: | Elnaz Hessami Pilehrood & Owen Waldon |
| Affiliation: | University of Waterloo |
| Room: | MC 5501 |
Abstract: Pure quantum states describe systems whose preparation is known exactly, but realistic quantum information often involves uncertainty, inaccessible subsystems, and interactions with the environment. In this talk, we introduce density operators as a general framework encompassing both pure and mixed states. We then discuss quantum channels, which model physical transformations and common forms of noise affecting quantum systems. Finally, we introduce classical and quantum entropy as measures of uncertainty and information, and explain how these ideas provide basic intuition for quantum cryptographic security.
Combinatorics and Optimization reading group | Resolution of Matroid Secretary Conjecture - Day 2
| Speaker: | Kanstantsin Pashkovich |
| Affiliation: | University of Waterloo |
| Room: | MC 6029 |
Abstract: I will go over the recent paper by Sahil Singla proving Matroid Secretary Conjecture.
Algebraic and Enumerative Combinatorics Seminar | Theta operators and LLT positivity
| Speaker: | Vasu Tewari |
| Affiliation: | University of Toronto |
| Location: | MC 5417 |
Abstract: I will introduce a family of commuting derivations on the ring of symmetric polynomials. Using this family I will then define an apparently-novel family of symmetric functions that is vertical-strip LLT positive and relates directly to the Theta operators of D'Adderio–Iraci–Vanden Wyngaerd. Finally I'll discuss some consequences for the "higher order" Macdonald positivity conjecture of Dołęga. This is joint work with Jim Haglund.
There will be a pre-seminar presenting relevant background at the beginning graduate level starting at 1:30pm.