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Speaker:

Jack Zhao
Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Location: MC 6029

Abstract: Much of post-quantum PKE from unstructured noisy linear algebra relies on LWE or Alekhnovich’s LPN: both assume samples of the form (A, As+e) are computationally indistinguishable from (A, u), but with different noise models. LWE uses “short” errors, while Alekhnovich LPN uses sparse errors. Motivated by uncertainty around future cryptanalytic advances, we ask whether one can still obtain PKE from noisy linear assumptions even if both LWE and Alekhnovich LPN were broken. We talk about two new assumptions: Learning with Two Errors (LW2E), which mixes an LWE-style short error with an LPN-style sparse error, and Learning with Short and Sparse Errors (LWSSE), which uses errors that are simultaneously short and sparse but denser than Alekhnovich LPN.

Monday, February 23, 2026 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Graphs and Matroids - Agnes Totschnig-Colouring graphs with forbidden 7-vertex minors

Speaker: Agnes Totschnig
Affiliation: McGill University
Room: MC 5479

Abstract:In 1943, Hadwiger conjectured that every k-chromatic graph has a K_k-minor. While the cases k = 5 and k = 6 have been shown to be equivalent to the Four Colour Theorem, respectively by Wagner, and in seminal work by Robertson, Seymour and Thomas, the cases k at least 7 remain open. We show that any 7-chromatic graph has as a minor the complete graph K_7 with two adjacent edges removed, by extending work of Kawarabayashi and Toft and by proving a new edge-extremal bound. This improves Jakobsen’s result with two arbitrary edges removed. Joint work with Sergey Norin.

Speaker: Adrien Segovia
Affiliation: Université du Québec à Montréal
Location: MC 5417

Abstract: The order dimension of a partially ordered set (poset), which is often difficult to compute, is a measure of its complexity. Dilworth proved that the dimension of a distributive lattice is the width of its subposet on its join-irreducible elements. We generalize this result by showing that the dimension of a semidistributive extremal lattice is the chromatic number of the complement of its Galois graph (see Section 3.5 of arXiv:2511.18540). We apply this result to prove that the dimension of the lattice of torsion classes of a gentle tree with n vertices is equal to n. No advanced background is required to follow the talk.

There will be a pre-seminar presenting relevant background at the beginning graduate level starting at 1:30pm in MC 5417.

Thursday, February 12, 2026 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Algebraic & Enumerative Combinatorics - Santiago Estupiñán

Title: Jeu de Taquin for Mixed Insertion and a Problem of Soojin Cho

Speaker: Santiago Estupiñán
Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Location: MC 5417

Abstract: 

Serrano (2010) introduced the shifted plactic monoid, governing Haiman's (1989) mixed insertion algorithm, as a type B analogue of the classical plactic monoid that connects jeu de taquin of Young tableaux with the Robinson–Schensted–Knuth insertion algorithm. Serrano proposed a corresponding definition of skew shifted plactic Schur functions. Cho (2013) disproved Serrano's conjecture regarding this definition, by showing that the functions do not live in the desired ring and hence cannot provide an algebraic interpretation of tableau rectification or of the corresponding structure coefficients. Cho asked for a new definition with particular properties. We introduce such a definition and prove that it behaves as desired. We also introduce the first jeu de taquin theory that computes mixed insertion. This is joint work with Oliver Pechenik.

There will be a pre-seminar presenting relevant background at the beginning graduate level starting at 1:30pm in MC 5417.

Friday, February 13, 2026 10:30 am - 11:30 am EST (GMT -05:00)

Crypto Reading Group - Youcef Mokrani

Title: Adaptive Attacks Against FESTA Without Input Validation or Constant-Time Implementation

Speaker:

Youcef Mokrani
Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Location: MC 6029

Abstract: 

A FESTA trapdoor function is an isogeny-based trapdoor function based on an attempt to apply Kani’s theorem to cryptography. This paper claims that there are adaptive attacks for a FESTA-based scheme if this scheme does not check the correctness of the input matrix or is not implemented in constant time. Our attacks do not apply to the constant-time implementation of the IND-CCA PKE scheme named FESTA proposed in the FESTA original paper. In this paper, we provide adaptive attacks for a FESTA trapdoor function using auxiliary oracles, which reveals the secret key of the function. These oracles may be constructed if the FESTA trapdoor function is used without validating the input matrix or implemented in non-constant time.

Monday, February 9, 2026 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Graphs and Matroids - Eunjung Kim-A brief introduction to twin-width.

Speaker: Eunjung Kim
Affiliation: KAIST
Room: MC 5479

Abstract:Twin-width is a notion introduced in 2020 by Bonnet, Kim, Thomassé and Watrigant  which provides a unified perspective on a range of important graph classes, encompassing both sparse and dense classes. Many graph classes ranging from planar graphs, H-minor-free graphs to proper interval graphs and graphs of bounded cliquewidth have bounded twin-width. This new perspective also allows us to establish powerful properties such as tractability of First-Order model checking on many graph classes and (polynomial) χ-boundedness in a unified way. Twin-width is now considered an important part of the toolbox for structural graph theory, algorithms design, logic on finite graphs and data structure.

Speaker: Jonathan Boretsky
Affiliation: McGill University
Location: MC 5417

Abstract: For all positive integers l and r, we determine the maximum number of elements of a simple rank-r positroid without the rank-2 uniform matroid U(2, l+2) as a minor, and characterize the matroids with the maximum number of elements. This result continues a long line of research into upper bounds on the number of elements of matroids from various classes that forbid U(2, l+2) as a minor, including works of Kung, of Geelen–Nelson, and of Geelen–Nelson–Walsh. This is the first paper to study positroids in this context, and it suggests methods to study similar problems for other classes of matroids, such as gammoids or base-orderable matroids. This project is based on joint work with Zach Walsh.

There will be a pre-seminar presenting relevant background at the beginning graduate level starting at 1:30pm.

Friday, February 6, 2026 10:30 am - 11:30 am EST (GMT -05:00)

Crypto Reading Group -Maggie Simmons-Enabling FrodoKEM on Embedded Devices

Speaker Maggie Simmons
Affiliation University of Waterloo
Location MC 6029

Abstract:  FrodoKEM is a lattice-based Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) based on unstructured lattices. From a security point of view this makes it a conservative option to achieve post-quantum security, hence why it is favored over the NIST winners by several European authorities (e.g., German BSI and French ANSSI). Relying on unstructured instead of structured lattices (e.g., CRYSTALS-Kyber) comes at the cost of additional memory usage, which is particularly critical for embedded security applications such as smart cards. For example, prior FrodoKEM-640 implementations (using AES) on Cortex-M4 require more than 80 kB of stack making it impossible to run on embedded systems. In this work, we explore several stack reduction strategies and the resulting time versus memory trade-offs. Concretely, we reduce the stack consumption of FrodoKEM by a factor 2–3× compared to the smallest known implementations with almost no impact on performance. We also present various time-memory trade-offs going as low as 8 kB for all AES parameter sets, and below 4 kB for FrodoKEM-640. By introducing a minor tweak to the FrodoKEM specifications, we additionally reduce the stack consumption down to 8 kB for all the SHAKE versions. As a result, this work enables FrodoKEM on embedded systems.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Graphs and Matroids - Jim Geelen-Keeping connectivity under taking minors

Speaker: Jim Geelen
Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Room: MC 5501

Abstract: Suppose that you are given an ordering of the elements of a $k$-connected matroid, and you want to remove the elements one at a time, in the given order, keeping the intermediate matroids as highly connected as possible. How much connectivity can you keep?

Friday, January 30, 2026 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Tutte Colloquium - Jonathan Leake-Log-concavity, Sampling, and Lorentzian Polynomials

Speaker: Jonathan Leake
Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Location: MC 5501

Abstract:  In this talk, we demonstrate a connection between log-concavity statements and sampling algorithms via high-dimensional expanders and Lorentzian polynomials. To do this, we first discuss two conjectures which were resolved about 5-10 years ago: one on the log-concavity of independent sets of matroids (due to Brändén-Huh and Anari-Liu-Oveis Gharan-Vinzant), and one on efficiently sampling bases of matroids (due to Anari-Liu-Oveis Gharan-Vinzant). From there we will present some new results on generalized graph colorings which extend these and other previous results. In particular, we will discuss how this can be used to obtain log-concavity statements and sampling algorithms for linear extensions of posets. Joint work with Kasper Lindberg and Shayan Oveis Gharan.