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
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.
Laura Pierson 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.
Events
Algebraic and Enumerative combinatorics seminar - Kaveh Mousavand-Left modularity and extremality of some (finite and infinite) lattices via representation theory
| Speaker: | Kaveh Mousavand |
| Affiliation: | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology |
| Location: | MC 5479 |
Abstract:Motivated by the representation theory of finite-dimensional algebras, we recently investigated the notions of left modularity and extremality in (completely) semidistributive lattices. For lattices of torsion classes, we obtain a simultaneous characterization of left modularity and extremality in terms of the behavior of certain indecomposable modules, called bricks. Our results extend the classical theory beyond the realm of finite lattices, while remaining within the framework of (completely) semidistributive lattices. Time permitting, I will also discuss extensions of these results to arbitrary infinite lattices that are completely semidistributive and weakly atomic. This talk is based on recent joint work with Sota Asai, Osamu Iyama, and Charles Paquette.
There will be a pre-seminar presenting relevant background at beginning graduate level starting at 1:30pm in MC 5417.
Crypto Reading Group - Maher Mamah & Elle Wen-Introduction to Code-Based Cryptography (Part 2)
Abstract: This week, we continue our discussion of codes by introducing the underlying hard problem: the decoding problem, which asks us to decode a random linear code. We also discuss McEliece, one of the oldest code-based public-key encryption schemes, and its instantiations using Goppa codes.
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Tutte Colloquium -Sophie Spirkl-Cliques and colouring in tournaments
| Speaker: | Sophie Spirkl |
| Affiliation: | University of Waterloo |
| Location: | MC 5501 |
Abstract: A tournament is an orientation of a complete graph, and in terms of structural questions, tournaments are often a natural analogue of graphs. Neumann-Lara, in 1982, defined what it means to colour a tournament. Only recently, in 2023, Aboulker, Aubian, Charbit and Lopes defined what the clique number of a tournament is — but it is a bit more complicated than in graphs. What can we say about these parameters, from a structural and computational point of view? There are a few things to say, including a recent joint result with Logan Crew, Xinyue Fan, Hidde Koerts, and Ben Moore.
[Many of you know the severe consequences that a COVID infection has had for my family. I would consider it a kindness if attendees would wear masks. I will provide free masks for those who may need them.]