The Graduate Student Seminar (GSS) is a student-run seminar in Iowa State's Mathematics Department. Founded at the end of the Fall 2022 semester by Mitchell Ashburn, Kean Fallon, and Enrique Gomez-Leos, and inspired by the Junior Analysis Seminar, the seminar is centered on three main principles:
Only graduate students may present
Only graduate students may attend
Any topic in mathematics can be presented on: it doesn't have to be original research!
We believe that a seminar founded on these principles has unique benefits. First and foremost, the GSS provides a safe space for graduate students. Because the seminar is open only to students, it removes the possibility of facing criticism from faculty, which can be intimidating. For instance, a student looking for an advisor may be hesitant to present mathematics in front of faculty members for fear of making mistakes or otherwise presenting poorly. Our seminar provides an outlet for students to present mathematics with next to no negative consequences.
With that being said, the GSS also serves as a great medium to practice presentation skills and future talks. While there are no negative consequences, feedback for the speaker is usually encouraged. Because of the open nature of the seminar topics, many students will practice oral exams, defenses, or future talks in GSS. This provides them with a good opportunity to practice in front of a crowd in a realistic setting while also receiving helpful and positive feedback.
Lastly, the diverse array of topics presented at GSS help foster a mathematical community within our department. Our audience contains people who study many different fields of mathematics. This intersection leads to interesting conversations, e.g. analysts trying to apply their knowledge to combinatorial problems. What's more, many students are highly enthusiastic about what they present, as some may only be presenting their favorite theorems from a textbook they love. This enthusiasm bleeds into post-seminar discussion, becoming the catalyst for future mathematical discoveries.
Any graduate student is welcome to attend, you do not need permission to join us. To find out when and where the seminar takes place, any of the following should be sufficient:
Use this Website If you navigate over to "Current Schedule", you should be able to find the time and place of the seminar at the top. Moreover, it will provide a full schedule of upcoming talks.
Sign up for the mailing list Sign up for the mailing list to receive weekly emails ahead of talks (We recommend you do this anyway). Email Kean at keanpf@iastate.edu to get on the list.
Find it on the department website The GSS is not an official department seminar, but it is recognized by the department. Because of that, you can find us on the department website at https://math.iastate.edu/research
We encourage any graduate student who enjoys mathematics to give a talk. Here is how you can get signed up:
Attend the first meeting Most of our schedule for the semester (and sometimes the whole year!) gets determined at our first meeting. We call this the "Organizational Meeting" and its entire purpose is to get people signed up for talks. If you'd like to give a talk (and we think you should), be on the look out for an email that references this meeting!
Contact an Organizer Although our schedule tends to fill up after the first meeting, we usually have one or two spots open. Also, we sometimes need emergency replacements. If you'd like to present and you missed the meeting, email one of the organizers and we'll see if we can fit you in!
Kean Fallon (2022 - ) keanpf@iastate.edu
Matt Burnham (2025 - ) mattmath@iastate.edu
Enrique Gomez-Leos (2022 - 2025)
Mitchell Ashburn (2022 - 2024)