14:00–14:50 “Exploring Solutions to the Plateau Problem Through the Lens of Julia”, SHIMIZU, Yuuki (The University of Tokyo)
15:10–16:00 “A Case Study of the Non-Profit Organization Math Café Japan: Practicing Interactive Scientific Communication in Mathematics”, NEGAMI, Haru (Chiba University)
16:20–17:10 “Automatic Grading of Mathematical Exercise Problems with Cloud Education System CES-Alpha: Development and Application”, LIU, Xuefeng (Tokyo Woman’s Christian University)
Abstract
14:00–14:50 “Exploring Solutions to the Plateau Problem Through the Lens of Julia”, SHIMIZU, Yuuki (The University of Tokyo)
The soap film can take on various shapes, even when the wire remains unaltered in shape. Can we estimate the number of all shapes in soap films from the wire’s shape? To rephrase mathematically, this can be described as determining the number of all solutions to the Plateau problem based on geometric quantities representing the boundary shape. Although there are numerous related studies in geometric analysis, it remains a challenging problem to determine the exact number of solutions, even in simple settings.
In this research, by leveraging complex analysis of minimal surfaces, a numerical scheme for calculating multiple solutions to the Plateau problem has been developed, which is grounded in the method of fundamental solutions. After quickly overviewing the entire research, we will focus on a numerical experiment that explores multiple solutions as an example of how Julia can be applied. This is joint work with Dr. Koya Sakakibara (Kanazawa University).
15:10–16:00 “A Case Study of the Non-Profit Organization Math Café Japan: Practicing Interactive Scientific Communication in Mathematics”, NEGAMI, Haru (Chiba University)
Math Cafe is a non-profit organization that aims to create a “math community without boundaries” where anyone can enjoy mathematics by removing various boundaries such as organizational affiliation, place of residence, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical condition, nationality, etc. It started as a voluntary organization in 2015 and registered as an NPO in 2021. The Math Café is characterized by its diverse membership, which includes not only math enthusiasts but also microbiologists, supporters of those who have not attended school and so on, since the café aims to plan events from the perspective of people with attributes that used to be a minority among math enthusiasts. In science outreach activities, those that take the model of “one-way science communication,” in which experts give lectures based on the assumption that citizens lack scientific knowledge, are mainstream, but in recent years, the importance of activities that take the model of “two-way science communication,” in which dialogue with citizens takes place, has been attracting attention. In this presentation, examples of interactive science communication in Math Café will be introduced and prospects will be discussed.
16:20–17:10 “Automatic Grading of Mathematical Exercise Problems with Cloud Education System CES-Alpha: Development and Application”, LIU, Xuefeng (Tokyo Woman’s Christian University)
In this lecture, the principal developer of CES-Alpha will introduce the automatic grading system for mathematical exercise problems developed during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020, based on SymPy. The presentation will cover the mechanics of automatic grading in CES-Alpha, with a particular focus on the advantages and limitations of using SymPy for symbolic computation, as well as considerations for applying it in mathematical exercises. Furthermore, it will report on the outcomes of implementing this system in calculus classes at Niigata University, based on the results of a survey.
