If you have friends or family who are planning to go to LogiCON but haven't registered yet, let them know they have till 5pm tonight to register.
More attendees have registered for LogiCON 2013 than there were attendees at LogiCON 2012! While you do not have to register to attend, registered attendees will be favoured for seating based on the honour system.
Only registered attendees are eligible for the registration prize draw.
LogiCON 2013 talks math!
Remkes Kooistra is the second of two speakers in the Math Block at LogiCON 2013, which runs from 1:45 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday May 5th. Remkes is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the King’s University College. He received his Ph. D. in July 2011 from the University of Alberta, after also studying at the Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands. He travels most often by bicycle, drinks a great deal of tea, and approves of the serial comma.
In 1931, Kurt Gödel published his two Incompleteness theorems, thus proving that the great goal of a perfect logical system of mathematics was impossibly illusive. What was the great insight that led Gödel to this result? Why did Bertrand Russell and David Hilbert care so much about it? Does mathematics have a secure basis and is it trustworthy? What reflections does this result inspire concerning the general human need for and reliance on logical thinking? These questions and more are tackled in this presentation that assumes no advanced mathematical knowledge or skill.
LogiCON 2013 talks math!
Paul Buckingham is the first of two speakers in the Math Block at LogiCON 2013, which runs from 1:45 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday May 5th. Paul is a postdoctoral fellow in number theory at the University of Alberta. His research considers the ways symmetry plays a role in our understanding of numbers, a key goal being to spot uniformity in the apparent complexity of numbers. Keen to promote interest in number theory in Alberta, Paul has co-organized a province-wide conference and seminar series in prominent aspects of the subject.
In this hour-long talk, Paul shares his expertise in group theory. Groups come into play whenever you want to string together sequences of reversible operations or instructions. For example, the instructions might be the moves of certain chess pieces on an infinite chess board. Some pieces can go everywhere on the board, given enough moves: the queen, king, rook, and knight. On the other hand, the orbit of the poor bishop, who can only move diagonally, consists of only half the squares. The notion of an orbit — where a sequence of instructions can take you — allows group theorists to find the number of essentially different Sudoku grids and the number of Rubik's Cube configurations, for example. In this talk, you will discover what groups are and how to use them to discover some simple but surprising facts.
LogiCON 2013 talks programming!
This year LogiCON breaks new ground with its very first talk on the subject of computer programming by Mack Male! Mack is a software developer, entrepreneur, and social media guy. He's the Product Development Manager for Questionmark Computing, and is the founder of Paramagnus Developments Inc., an Edmonton-based social software company. In 2010 Mack was named one of Alberta’s Next 10 Most Influential People by Alberta Venture. His blog was named “Best Local Blog” in Vue Weekly’s 2012 Best of Edmonton, and he was also named “Best Local Twitter”. Mack is currently a member of EEDC’s ONEdmonton Leadership Forum and Downtown Vibrancy Task Force, the Edmonton Journal’s Community Advisory Board, the 104 Street Steering Committee, and numerous other boards and committees throughout the city.
We live in a world powered by software. Nearly every industry has been disrupted by software and online services, so understanding even just a little about how it all works is essential. Mack's quick introduction to programming covers the very basics and highlights many useful resources for you to take the next step. Come see how anyone with computer access can get started with programming... and why you should want to!
LogiCON 2013 talks physics!
Ross Lockwood is a PhD Candidate in Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Alberta. His research focuses on light emission from silicon quantum dots; characterizing the mechanism of sensory response to hydrocarbon vapors and explosive gases. Ross was a Teaching Assistant at the University of Alberta Observatory for 4 years, a volunteer for the University's High Altitude Balloon Project, the founding member of the Overheard at the University of Alberta Facebook group, and an executive member of the University's Scuba Appreciation Society. He writes a blog at spincrisis.net, and tweets from @spincrisis.
In the late 19th century, physicists believed that all of the problems arising from classical physics were solved; only a few decades later modern theory emerged. In today’s world, popular science fixates on the notion that experimental results are converging towards well-established theories. However, many small problems crop up on every scale of physics that aren’t broadly reported. In his talk Ross discusses these mysteries and why their current explanations don’t quite match our understanding of the universe.
