Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Graduate Program
2003 - 2004
The Department of Mathematics
The
Department of Mathematics Algebra, Classical Analysis, Modern Analysis,
at Berkeley has been Applied Mathematics, Foundations, and
recognized as one of the Geometry and Topology.* An active
broadest, liveliest, and most distinguished Mathematics Graduate Student Association
departments of mathematics in the world. cooperates in the effort to make Berkeley a
With 60 regular faculty members representing stimulating and rewarding place to study
the major fields of current research, one of the mathematics.
finest mathematics libraries in the nation, and
the good fortune to be situated in a favorable The Department offices are located on the top 4
climate in one of America’s most exciting and floors of Evans Hall, situated in the northeast
cosmopolitan centers, Berkeley is a favorite quadrant of Berkeley’s scenic hillside campus.
location for the study of mathematics by Within this building, the Department has
students and faculty from all over the world. excellent facilities for a flourishing
mathematical community, including an 1800-
For the last 30 years, Berkeley has been sq.ft. Common Room on the tenth floor
ranked second and then number one in the overlooking the San Francisco Bay, a
nation by the American Council of Education. computing facility (with a network of 200
The first-place ranking was reaffirmed in a workstations and remote access to more
1995 survey. The distinguished faculty and powerful computers), the world-class
rich program of courses has attracted many Mathematics Library on the first floor, and 26
students: there are currently about 240 classrooms especially designed for mathematics
graduate students, including 70 international instruction on the ground floor.
students from approximately 31 foreign
countries. Berkeley has a large number of postdoctoral
scholars and visiting teaching faculty in
The Department of Mathematics at Berkeley residence each year. Like the graduate students,
is organized so as to combine the many they come from all over the world. Through
advantages of a large school (a variety of their teaching of courses, participation in
choices in courses, teachers, student seminars, collaboration in research, talks at the
colleagues, research topics, dissertation weekly Mathematics Colloquium, and
supervisors, the ability to support a availability as consultants, these scholars greatly
distinguished library, computer facilities, etc.) enrich the educational program. Students in the
with those of a small school (close Department also profit from the existence of the
acquaintance between students and faculty and Center for Pure and Applied Mathematics, an
among students working in related fields, a organized research unit, which is situated with
friendly atmosphere, etc.). This has been the Department in Evans Hall.
achieved in part by loosely dividing students _______________
and faculty into 6 nondisjoint sections: *Most faculty members belong to more than one section.
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An exciting addition to the Berkeley approximation theory, scientific comput-
mathematics community was the ing, numerical linear algebra, and
establishment of the Mathematical Sciences mathematical aspects of computer science. It
Research Institute (MSRI) by the National also encourages its students to take courses
Science Foundation in 1981. In a beautifully of mathematical interest in other
designed building on the hills above the departments. Topics explored intensively by
Berkeley campus overlooking the San faculty and students in the Department of
Francisco Bay, about 150 mathematicians Mathematics in recent years include scien-
from around the world come each year to tific computation and the mathematical
participate in research programs in a wide aspects of quantum theory, image processing
variety of mathematical topics. The Fall and medical imaging, bioinformatics,
2002 program was Quantum Computation. control, robotics, and turbulence.
Spring 2003 will include programs in
Commutative Algebra and Semi-Classical The Department benefits from a close
Analysis. The 2003-2004 academic year will relationship with the Lawrence Berkeley
see programs in Discrete and Computational National Laboratory (LBNL), a Department
Geometry, Differential Geometry, and of Energy Laboratory located on the
Topological Aspects of Real Geometry. The Berkeley campus. Graduate students with an
combined and cooperative efforts of the interest in applications can often have access
Department, the Center, and the Institute to the Laboratory’s exceptional computing
provide a program of mathematics courses, resources and have the opportunity to work
workshops, seminars, and colloquia of there on problems of current national
remarkable variety and exciting intensity. interest. Collaborations with faculty
members from physics, chemistry, statistics,
computer science, biology, and the various
Applied Mathematics at Berkeley branches of engineering are also encouraged
The UC Berkeley Department of and occur frequently.
Mathematics encourages its faculty and
students not only to study mathematics for Students who engage in research projects of
its own sake, but also to explore the substantial interest to an area of applications
applications of mathematics in the sciences often benefit from additional sources of
and in engineering. support that exist in the fields to which they
contribute. The Department has an excellent
Faculty and students interested in the record of graduating students with applied
applications of mathematics are an integral interests who then go on to distinguished
part of the Department of Mathematics; careers in which they contribute both to
there is no formal separation between pure mathematics and to the increasing number of
and applied mathematics, and the its applications.
Department takes pride in the many ways in
which they enrich each other. The Applications for admission from students
Department regularly offers courses in with a double major, in mathematics and
ordinary and partial differential equations another science, are particularly encouraged,
and their numerical solution, the methods of and applications from students with a strong
mathematical physics, the mathematical mathematical background and a major in a
aspects of fluid and solid mechanics, science will be seriously considered.
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The Faculty
A brief description of major mathematical interests of the faculty is given in the following list:
Professors
David Aldous Theoretical and applied probability.
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F. Alberto Grünbaum Analysis, probability, integrable systems, medical imaging.
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Associate Professors
Assistant Professors
Adjunct professors
Affiliated professors
Professors EMERITI
John W. Addison Jr. Theory of definability, descriptive set theory, model theory,
recursive function theory.
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P. Emery Thomas Number theory, diophantine equations.
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description (course number, subject matter
Calendar covered, books used, instructor, and grade)
of junior, senior, and graduate level
The University of California, Berkeley,
mathematics courses they have taken or plan
operates on a two-semester academic
to take before entering graduate school at
calendar, with the first semester starting in
Berkeley, and (3) scores on the Graduate
late August and ending before the winter
Record Examination, both the General Test
break. In 2002-2003, the Fall Semester 2002
and the Mathematics Subject Test.
begins on August 20 and ends on December
Applicants should take these tests early
19, the Spring Semester 2003 begins on
enough so that their scores will reach the
January 14 and ends on May 24.
Department of Mathematics by mid-January,
when the evaluation of applicants begins.
All application materials should be sent to
Summer Sessions
the Graduate Student Affairs Officer,
There is no requirement of admission to the Department of Mathematics, 910 Evans Hall,
University to enroll in Summer Sessions. University of California, Berkeley, CA
New students whose admission is effective 94720-3840. Institutional Code 4833,
in the Fall can attend the preceding 8-week Departmental Code: Applied Mathematics
Summer Session. Some of the basic 0702, Mathematics 0703. (See
http://math.berkeley.edu/graduate/online_app.html.)
undergraduate courses are taught in the
summer. The Departments of French,
German, and Slavic Languages offer 10- The Graduate application for Admission and
week courses that may be useful to students Fellowships gives information on deadlines
preparing for the Language Examinations. and details about fees and expenses.
For information about future Summer Applicants should note that the deadlines are
Sessions and courses offered, write to the quite early, and they should take special care
Summer Sessions Office, 22 Wheeler Hall to see that transcripts are sent on time.
#1080, University of California, Berkeley Delayed receipt of transcripts is one of the
CA 94720-1080, or refer to their web page most prevalent problems in the admissions
http://summer.berkeley.edu/summer2002/ . and financial aid process. The General
Catalog contains a statement of general
Admission requirements for higher degrees and
regulations pertaining to graduate students. It
Graduate Application for Admission and
also contains information on such matters as
Fellowship. Applicants should use the on-
fees and housing. Refer to the website
line application which can be found at
http://math.berkeley.edu/catalog/grad/intro.html. It is
www.grad.berkeley.edu. A paper applica-
available from the Cal Student Store, Attn:
tion may be requested if internet access is
Mail Order Department, #4500, University
unavailable.
of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
In addition to completing the application 94720-4500.
form and submitting transcripts, applicants
are required to submit (1) 3 letters of To order by phone, call 510-981-9618 or
recommendation from persons who are 800-766-1546.
familiar with their qualifications to pursue
graduate study in mathematics, (2) a brief
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Financial Support Fellowships
Financial support from the University is The procedures and deadline for applying for
available on a competitive basis to entering University of California fellowships are
graduate students in the form of Fellowships, described in the application for admission.
Graduate Student Instructorships, Graduate Because the number of such fellowships is
Student Researchships, Readerships, and small, applicants are also strongly
University Financial Aid. The Department encouraged to apply for other fellowships,
pledges incoming Ph.D. students sufficient such as the National Science Foundation
financial support so that they have funding fellowships. In past years, many strong
for at least 5 years of graduate study at students have missed the opportunity to get
Berkeley, subject to the student making good one of these fellowships by not applying.
progress toward the degree and satisfactory Fellowship applicants are expected to supply
performance of all teaching duties. information on their financial status.
For entering Ph.D. students without outside Graduate Student Instructor Positions
support, the Department normally covers all
fees and nonresident tuition during the first The Department has a number of half-time
year of study. Nonresident tuition will be Graduate Students Instructorships for which
covered for up to 4 additional years for Ph.D. graduate students may apply. The workload
students making good progress who are usually averages between 14 and 16 hours
ineligible to become California residents. per week.
Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent
residents are eligible to establish California New GSIs are required to enroll in
residency after one year in the state and Mathematics 300 (Teaching Workshop) for
should plan to do so. The Department lacks one semester, during their first term holding
the resources to cover their nonresident the teaching position. The class meets for 2
tuition for longer than one year. Students hours per week, about 8 times during the
will receive advice on how to qualify for semester.
residency. The Graduate Division
Fellowship Office requests that all domestic The University requires that prospective
students submit a FAFSA (Free Application international Graduate Student Instructors
for Federal Student Aid). This information is demonstrate proficiency in spoken English
for use only by the Fellowship Office to before they begin teaching. Since a high
allow for the use of need-based funds. Please score on the Test of English as a Foreign
note: as graduate students you do not need to Language (TOEFL) does not guarantee the
include parental information. Prior to necessary degree of fluency, all applicants
receiving a stipend or being hired as a whose native language is not English are
Graduate Student Instructor or a Graduate required to take the Test of Spoken English
Student Researcher an international student (TSE). This test, which is given by the
must have a Social Security number. We Educational Testing Service, can usually be
recommend students arrange to get a Social taken at the same office abroad as the one at
Security number at the Embassy before which the TOEFL is offered. A score of 50
coming to the U.S. or above on the TSE is necessary for
eligibility for an appointment as a Graduate
Student Instructor.
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It is essential that the TSE be taken during semester basis, which is available to students
the first two weeks of August so that the desiring help. Tutors make their own
results will reach the Department in time for arrangements with the students.
consideration. In the absence of a TSE score,
the Department can make only a conditional University Financial Aid
offer of a teaching appointment which will
be contingent upon a satisfactory score on an Domestic students are eligible for loans,
oral proficiency test. Alternately, the grants, workstudy (which may be applied to
Graduate Student Teaching & Resource GSI appointments) or a combination of
Center offers the SPEAK test (Speaking these, the amount depending on the student’s
Proficiency English Assessment Kit), several “need” as calculated by the Financial Aid
times during August. International students Office. New students can obtain information
should plan to arrive on campus at least 3 on types of financial aid and request an
weeks before the semester starts. It is application by writing to: Financial Aid
recommended that the test be taken at least 1 Office, Graduate Division, 201 Sproul Hall
week after arrival in the United States, but at #1960, Berkeley, California 94720-1960, or
least 10 days before the first day of classes, phone (510) 642-0485. Detailed information
as it takes 10 days to receive the test results. on financial aid is also available on page 7 of
Students should contact the Graduate the Graduate Application for Admission and
Student Affairs Officer for additional Fellowship. The deadline for applying for
information. University Financial Aid is in early
December for entering students, and
Incoming students who are not able to pass February 1 for continuing students.There is a
the TSE or SPEAK before the beginning of campus Placement Office which helps
the Fall semester should concentrate on students find part-time employment (but
mastery of spoken English during the Fall income from such employment reduces
semester and must pass the TSE, SPEAK, or “need” for those receiving University
OPT test before the beginning of the Spring Financial Aid).
semester in order to qualify for financial
support from the Department. Failure to pass Summer Support
TSE, SPEAK, or OPT after the end of the
first year will result in loss of all financial There are several sources of summer support
support from the Department. for graduate students in Mathematics.
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Internships. The Department has a Summer graduate work in mathematics -- including
Internship Program in which students hold our M.A. program -- must present very
summer positions in industry and strong evidence of capability for
government laboratories (see below). mathematical research.
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mathematics courses, letters of recommenda- 6. Meet the University residence
tion, and GRE scores. requirement of two years or four
semesters.
Experience has shown that the score on the
Mathematics Subject GRE is a fairly
(although not totally) reliable indicator of The detailed regulations of the Ph.D. program
preparation for Berkeley’s PhD program. A are as follows:
score below the 80t h percentile suggests
Course Requirements
inadequate preparation and must be balanced
by other evidence if a favorable admission
decision is to be reached. During the first year in the Ph.D. program, the
student must enroll in at least 4 courses. At least
Degree Requirements 2 of these must be graduate courses in
mathematics. Exceptions can be granted by the
In outline, to qualify for the Ph.D. in either student’s Graduate Advisor.
Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, the
candidate must meet the following
requirements.
Preliminary Examination
1 . During the first year in the Ph.D.
program: (a) take at least 4 courses, 2 The Preliminary Examination consists of 6 hours
or more of which are graduate courses of written work given over a two-day period.
in mathematics; (b) and pass the six- Most of the examination covers material, mainly
hour written Preliminary Examination in analysis and algebra, that should be part of a
covering primarily undergraduate well-prepared student’s undergraduate training.
material. (The exam is given just The Preliminary Examination is offered twice a
before the beginning of each semester, year -- during the week before classes start in
and the student must pass it within both the Fall and Spring Semesters. A student
their first 3 semesters.) may repeat the examination twice. A student
who does not pass the Preliminary Examination
2. Pass a three-hour oral Qualifying within 13 months of the date of entry into the
Examination emphasizing, but not Ph.D. program will not be permitted to remain in
exclusively restricted to, the area of the program past the third semester. In
specialization. The Qualifying exceptional cases, a fourth try may be granted
Examination must be attempted within upon appeal to Committee Omega.
two years of entering the program.
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Division requires that at least one committee Graduate Study in Logic
member be from outside the Department and
that the committee chair be someone other
Master’s Degree. Students desiring to
than the Dissertation Supervisor. The
obtain a master’s degree in Logic or a related
syllabus of the examination is to be worked
field are advised to obtain a master’s degree
out jointly by the committee and the student,
in Mathematics. Neither the Group in Logic
but before final approval it is to be circulated
and the Methodology of Science nor the
to all faculty members of the appropriate
Department of Philosophy administers a
Sections. The Qualifying Examination must
program leading to a master’s degree.
cover material falling in at least 3 subject
areas and these must be listed on the
application to take the examination.
Ph.D. Degree. There are three different
Moreover, the material covered must fall
Ph.D programs at the University of
within more than one Section of the
California, Berkeley, in which a student
Department. Sample syllabi can be seen in
wishing to specialize in logic and related
910 Evans Hall.
fields may enroll.
Before attempting the Qualifying
Examination, the student must pass one
Ph.D. in Mathematics. The Department of
language examination. The student must
Mathematics administers programs leading
attempt the Qualifying Examination within
to the degrees of Ph.D. in Mathematics and
twenty-five months of entering the Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics. Students in
program. If a student does not pass on the
these programs may specialize in the
first attempt, then, on the recommendation of
Foundations of Mathematics, but are also
the student’s examining committee, and
expected to obtain a broad education in
subject to the approval of the Graduate
mathematics, and in particular to pass the
Division, the student may repeat the
regular departmental examinations.
examination once. The examining committee
must be the same, and the re-examination
Ph.D. in Philosophy. The Department of
must be held within thirty months of the
Philosophy administers a program leading to
student’s entrance into the Ph.D. program.
the degree of Ph.D. in Philosophy. Students
in this program may specialize in Logic, but
For a student to pass the Qualifying
are also expected to obtain a broad education
Examination, at least one identified member
in Philosophy. Detailed information about
of the subject area group must be willing to
this program can be obtained directly from
accept the candidate as a dissertation student,
the Chairman, Department of Philosophy,
if asked. The student must obtain an official
University of California, Berkeley,
Dissertation Supervisor within one semester
California 94720-2390.
after passing the Qualifying Examination or
leave the Ph.D. program. For more detailed
Ph.D. in Logic and the Methodology of
rules and advice concerning the Qualifying
Science. The Group in Logic and the
Examination, see the Graduate Student
Methodology of Science administers a
Information Handbook, available in Room
program leading to the degree of Ph.D. in
910 Evans Hall.
Logic and the Methodology of Science. The
Group is neither a part of the Department of
Mathematics nor of the Department of
Philosophy, but is an independent interde-
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partmental agency which cooperates closely
with both of these departments. Students
desiring to pursue the Ph.D. in Logic and the
Methodology of Science should seek
admission in the Graduate Division in
“Logic and the Methodology of Science,”
rather than in “Mathematics” or in
“Philosophy.” Students in this program are
expected to study both mathematics and
philosophy, but neither as broadly as if they
were obtaining a degree in one of these
subjects. Although there are no Graduate
Student Instructorships in Logic and the
Methodology of Science, students in this
program may hold, if qualified, Graduate
Student Instructorships in the Department of
Mathematics or in the Department of
Philosophy. Detailed information about the
program can be obtained directly from the
Chairman, Group in Logic and the
Methodology of Science, University of
California, Berkeley, California
94720-3840, or on the web at
http://www. math.berkeley.edu/logic/.
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Graduate Mathematics Courses
Some graduate mathematics courses play a special role in providing an introduction to the
various branches of mathematics at the graduate level. Most advanced courses have one or more
of those courses as prerequisites. With a few exceptions, they are given at least once a year. A
list of these courses, with brief descriptions and representative texts, is as follows:
Algebra
Mathematics 250A. Groups, Rings, and Fields. Group theory, including the Jordan-Hoolder
theorem and the Sylow theorems. Basic theory of rings and their ideals. Unique factorization
domains and principal ideal domains. Modules. Chain conditions. Fields, including fundamental
theorem of Galois theory, theory of finite fields, and transcendence degree.
Mathematics 250B. Multilinear Algebra and Further Topics. Tensor algebras and exterior
algebras, with application to linear transformations. Commutative ideal theory, localization.
Elementary specialization and valuation theory. Related topics in algebra.
Texts:Lang: Algebra (Addison-Wesley); van der Waerden: Algebra,
Volumes I and II; Ungar and Hungerford: Algebra (Springer-Verlag)
Mathematics 202A. Introduction to Topology and Analysis. Metric spaces and general
topological spaces. Compactness and connectedness. Characterization of compact metric spaces.
Theorems of Tychonoff, Urysohn, Tietze. Complete spaces and the Baire category theorem.
Function spaces; Arzela-Ascoli and Stone-Weierstrass theorems. Partitions of unity. Locally
compact spaces; one-point compactification. Introduction to measure and integration. Sigma
algebras of sets. Measures and outer measures. Lebesgue measure on the line and Rn .
Construction of the integral. Dominated convergence theorem.
Mathematics 202B. Measure and integration. Product measures and Fubini-type theorems.
Signed measures; Hahn and Jordan decompositions. Radon-Nikodym theorem. Integration on
the line and in Rn. Differentiation of the integral. Hausdorff measures. Fourier transform.
Introduction to linear topological spaces, Banach spaces and Hilbert spaces. Banach-Steinhaus
theorem; closed graph theorem. Hahn-Banach theorem. Duality, the dual of LP. Measures on
locally compact spaces, the dual of C(X). Weak and weak-* topologies; Banach-Alaoglu
theorem. Convexity and the Krein-Milman theorem. Additional topics chosen may include
compact operators, spectral theory of compact operators, and applications to integral equations.
Texts: Lang: Real Analysis (Addison-Wesley); Kelley: General Topology
(Springer-Verlag); Halmos: Measure Theory (Springer-Verlag)
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Differential Equations
Mathematics 204AB. Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations. Fundamental existence
theorems for ordinary differential equations. Properties of linear systems with constant and
periodic coefficients. Sturm-Liouville theory, Poincare-Bendixson theorem. Cauchy-Kowalewski
theory for systems of partial differential equations. Initial and boundary value problems for
elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic second-order equations. Nonlinear equations and systems.
Texts: Coddington & Levinson: Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations (Krieger);
John: Partial Differential Equations (Springer-Verlag)
Mathematics 222AB. Partial Differential Equations. The theory of initial value and boundary
value problems for hyperbolic, parabolic, and elliptic partial differential equations, with emphasis
on nonlinear equations. More general types of equations and systems of equations.
Texts: Smoller: Shock Waves and Reaction-Diffusion Equations (Springer-Verlag);
Gilbarg and Trudinger: Elliptic Partial Differential Equations of Second Order,
(Springer-Verlag); Evans: Partial Differential Equations (AMS)
Foundations
Mathematics 225AB. Metamathematics. Metamathematics of predicate logic. Completeness
and compactness theorems. Interpolation theorem, definability, theory of models.
Metamathematics of number theory, recursive functions, applications to truth and provability.
Undecidable theories.
Texts: Shoenfield: Mathematical Logic (Addison-Wesley);
Chang and Keisler: Model Theory (American Elsevier)
Geometry-Topology
Mathematics 214. Differentiable Manifolds. Smooth manifolds and maps, tangent and normal
bundles. Sard’s theorem and transversality, Whitney embedding theorem. Morse functions,
differential forms, Stokes’ theorem, Frobenius theorem. Basic degree theory. Flows, Lie
derivative, Lie groups and algebras. Additional topics selected by instructor.
Texts: Warner: Foundations of Differentiable Manifolds and Lie Groups, (Springer
Verlag); Hirsch: Differential Topology (Springer-Verlag); Spivak: A Comprehensive
Introduction to Differential Geometry (Publish or Perish).
Mathematics 215AB. Algebraic Topology. Fundamental group and covering spaces, simplicial
and singular homology theory with applications, cohomology theory, duality theorem. Homotopy
theory, fibrations, relations between homotopy and homology, obstruction theory, and topics from
spectral sequences, cohomology operations, and characteristic classes.
Texts: Spanier: Algebraic Topology (McGraw-Hill);
Greenberg: Lectures on Algebraic Topology (Benjamin)
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Numerical Analysis
Mathematics 221. Advanced Matrix Computations. Direct solution of linear systems,
including large sparse systems: error bound iteration methods, least square approximation,
eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrices, nonlinear equations, and minimization of functions.
Text: Demmel: Applied Numerical Linear Algebra (SIAM)
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Mathematics 236 Metamathematics of Set Theory
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Topics Courses
In addition to the regular course offerings, numerous advanced topics courses and seminars are
given each year. Although the subjects vary from year to year, the following list from Fall 2002
gives an illustration of the number and diversity of these courses in a typical year.
Mathematics 271
J. W. Addison “Topics in Foundations – Infinitary Boolean Operations”
Mathematics 274
E. Frenkel “Topics in Algebra – Study of Representations of Affine Kac-Moody
Algebras in Context of Langlands Program”
B. Sturmfels “Topics in Algebra”
Mathematics 275
E. Berlekamp “Combinatorial Games”
Mathematics 276
M. Hutchings “Topics in Topology – Floer Theory”
Seminars
The following is a list of graduate-level research seminars that were given during the academic
year 2001-02. Most of these seminars recur every semester, but it depends on the availability and
interests of the sponsoring professor.
Analysis Bade
Combinatorics Sturmfels
Subfactor Jones
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Department Offerings The Noetherian Ring
Colloquia. The Department offers a number The Noetherian Ring is an organization
of colloquia during the academic year. The devoted to strengthening the community of
Department Colloquium meets on Thursdays women in mathematics at Berkeley. The
at 4:00; the Logic Colloquium on Fridays at membership is drawn primarily from the
4:00; the Functional Analysis Colloquium graduate students in the Berkeley
meets on Tuesdays at 4:00. In addition, Mathematics Department, but also includes
graduate students offer their own post-docs, visitors, faculty, and
Colloquium series, entitled “Many Cheerful undergraduates. In recent years, a particular
Facts”, in which they describe their work to effort has been made to include interested
each other. It is scheduled semester by people from MSRI, as well as the
semester. departments of Statistics, Computer Science,
Education, and other mathematically-related
Monday Lecture Series. Two lecture series disciplines.
alternate on Mondays with talks aimed at the
first-year graduate level. The MSRI-Evans The core of the Noetherian Ring is a weekly
Lecture Series features talks by visitors to Thursday afternoon meeting intended to
MSRI. In the Mentor Program Lecture provide a peer forum for female graduate
Series, Berkeley faculty members explain students to present topics in areas of
their areas to first-year graduate students. research. In addition, a number of young
First- and second- year graduate students are women faculty members have spoken about
especially urged to attend regularly. their research and experiences after graduate
school. The weekly talk is preceded by a
half-hour of informal socializing over
refreshments. While the support and advice
of more advanced students is particularly
Mentor Program cherished, each person (male or female)
The Mentor Program aims to help incoming attending the meetings contributes to the
students adjust to life in Berkeley by community of women in mathematics at
assigning a mentor to each student. Mentors Berkeley.
are more senior graduate students and
typically (but not always) have advanced to The Noetherian Ring maintains a visible
candidacy. In making the pairings an attempt presence in the department by sponsoring
is made that mentors and mentees share women in the departmental colloquia; in the
mathematical interests. past two years, it has invited and helped to
fund visits by prominent women. It also
Mentors can help answer many questions, makes a concerted effort to contact and host
including: prospective graduate students, assist with
departmental functions like the recent book
1. Who might be a good advisor for signing for “Julia” (Constance Reid's
you in your chosen field? biography of her sister Julia Robinson), have
2. What courses should you take? lunch with visiting women mathematicians,
and hold a series of events designed to
3. What is the best way to find welcome new women students to Berkeley.
affordable housing?
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If you have any questions about the Department assigns approximately 10% of
Noetherian Ring, would like to volunteer to its admission offers to MOC. A special
give a talk, suggest future colloquium Information Form is included .pdf format
speakers, or would like to be put on the online at
electronic mailing list, please contact http://math.berkeley.edu/graduate/online_app.html
nring@math.berkeley.edu. to allow applicants to bring to the
Committee’s attention special circum-
The Blackwell Society stances which might be relevant to assessing
potential. There is also a Supplementary
The Blackwell Society began on the UC Reference Report form which may be used
Berkeley campus in Fall 1999, and is by those writing references for applicants.
supported by the Professional Development The use of these forms is optional; they are
Program (PDP). The club is named after seen only by the MOC.
renowned mathema-tician/statistician and
UC Berkeley Emeritus Professor David The Pre-PhD Option. The Pre-PhD option
Blackwell. Its goal is to promote diversity in provides students who elect it with an extra
mathematics by encouraging under- year to prepare for the PhD program. It is
represented students to major or minor in designed for students of high potential whose
mathematics or statistics, and to encourage mathematical backgrounds are not as strong
current math and statistics undergraduates to as we normally expect of beginning PhD
continue on to graduate study. Graduate students. Pre-PhD students spend their first
students will both receive and impart graduate year taking the honors versions of
encouragement. Berkeley’s core undergraduate major
courses: linear algebra, abstract algebra, real
analysis, and complex analysis. They are
Mathematics Opportunity mentored by a faculty advisor from the MOC
and encouraged to help each other. Those
Committee (MOC) who do well begin the PhD program in their
The MOC provides opportunities for second graduate year. Applicants can request
graduate mathematics study at Berkeley to to be considered for the Pre-PhD option by
students who have demonstrated exceptional checking the appropriate box on the MOC
mathematical promise despite having Information Form. The MOC in its review
encountered, in their earlier education, of applications will try to identify other
limited resources which may have affected applicants who might benefit from the
their preparation. The Committee is option.
especially interested in helping women and
under-represented minority students Academic Advising. Every graduate
successfully complete graduate mathematics student, upon arrival, meets with the Vice
study at Berkeley. Chair for Graduate Affairs to select a
Graduate Advisor from among the
Admission. The Department’s Graduate Department’s faculty. Some faculty
Admissions and Appointments Committees members with special interests in the MOC’s
consider all applicants for admission and work have been designated Mathematics
financial support in the graduate program. Opportunity Advisors, and are familiar with
The MOC also reviews applicants in order to some of the particular issues faced by the
identify those of high promise whose students this program aims to help. Students
potential is not adequately reflected in their
academic records or preparation. The
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may request to be assigned a Mathematics admittees for GOP grants. Awardees are
Opportunity Advisor at any time. If they do selected by the GOP on a competitive basis.
not, they can still consult such advisors on an Every applicant who feels he or she might
informal basis. qualify for a GOP award should be sure to
Prelim Workshop. MOC offers workshops complete and submit the relevant pages of
aimed at boosting students’ preparation for the Graduate Application. For additional
the Preliminary Examination (see the section information regarding the Graduate
on the PhD Program). These are open to all Opportunity Program, write to:
students in the Department. Though they are
Graduate Opportunity Program
designed for students with uneven
318 Sproul Hall #5900
undergraduate backgrounds, many students University of California
with strong preparation also find them worth
Berkeley, CA 94720-5900
attending.
Tutoring. The MOC, if requested, will try Professional Development Program. The
to arrange tutoring for graduate students with PDP, located at 230B Stephens Hall, works
weak backgrounds or those experiencing at the campus level toward many of the same
academic difficulties. goals as does the MOC within the
Department. Students may find it
Other Activities. An important function of particularly valuable to look into the PDP’s
the MOC is to foster communication and activities, which include advising, computer
camaraderie among students and between workshops, dissertation writing workshops,
students and the committee. MOC activities and tutorials.
include a social/informational reception
every semester, and a bulletin board outside Diversity Officer Colette Patt, Director,
1015 Evans which displays information of Physical Sciences Student Diversity
interest to students. Suggestions for new Programs, works closely with the MOC to
activities or involvement in ongoing make sure that all qualifying graduate
programs are always welcome. students are given assistance and
information, and that all possible forms of
Those with further questions on the support are provided to them. Dr. Patt can be
operations of the MOC should write: Chair, reached at 642-0794, in 150 Le Conte, or via
Mathematics Opportunity Committee, Dept email at Colette_Patt@ls.berkeley.edu.
of Mathematics, University of California,
Berkeley, CA 94720-3840.
Obtaining Information
Many students come here from
Other Resources undergraduate institutions where the size of
the department, the style of course work, the
Graduate Opportunity Program. The administrative procedures, and the social
University Graduate Division has a Graduate environment are quite different from those at
Opportunity Program (GOP) which, among Berkeley. Students are urged to ask for
other activities, makes financial support information whenever the need arises.
available to students with high potential who Available sources of information include: the
have overcome obstacles in pursuing their MOC, advisors, fellow students, instructors,
educations. The Department of Mathematics faculty members in fields of interest to the
is allowed to nominate a certain number of student, the affirmative action officer, and
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departmental staff. The Department has an
orientation for all new graduate students
each August.
For most questions on departmental
procedures the Graduate Student Affairs
Officer in 910 Evans Hall can be extremely
helpful. The Vice Chair for Graduate Affairs
also holds regular office hours in 914 Evans
Hall. The graduate program at Berkeley is a
large one, and it is not easy to keep track of
how everyone is doing. Students
finding themselves in serious difficulty of
any sort should not remain silent! They
should see the Graduate Student Affairs
office or the Vice Chair for Graduate Affairs
immediately.
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University of California
Department of Mathematics
970 Evans Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-3840
Department Office
510-642-6550
Graduate Student Affairs Officer
510-642-0665
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