The topic should be (at least vaguely) related to maths, pure or applied. It could be taken from your thesis, from an interesting book/article you have been reading, or research that you are conducting; maybe you also just stumbled upon an intriguing fact and want to share it with other mathematicians.
You absolutely don't need to be an expert on the topic you're presenting, but you should be knowledgeable enough to be able to present your topic to others who might not know anything about your specific subject and able to discuss about your topic with the audience after the talk. It is advisable if you're (at least somewhat) passionate about the topic and want to inspire others to find it interesting as well.
Require as little pre-existing knowledge as possible. Generally, you can assume knowledge of (advanced) Bachelor and some Master level maths, but it will still be a good idea to repeat central definitions used in your talk as the audience usually comes from a variety of backgrounds.
In any case, the seminar talks are a very casual environment and are mostly meant for you to have fun and practice giving a research talk without any pressure regarding grades, funding, dress-code, etc. It is also meant for you to find like-minded people who share your passion of maths and inspire their interests.
In order to let us know that you are interested in giving a talk, please click on the button below and fill out our application form. You can also talk to or message us beforehand to let us know that you're planning to hold a talk some time in the future. However, we prefer if you fill out the form as soon as possible, it doesn't matter if you don't know all the details yet. This helps us greatly to plan ahead and makes it easier to find a date suitable for you! After submitting the form we will contact you to arrange your seminar talk.
If you want to hold a seminar talk, but you are not free on any of the regular dates, please also just fill the form and let us know when you would have time. We will try to accommodate you.
Talks are scheduled with the academic quarter (i.e. 15 minutes after the full hour) and usually last between 1 and 1.5 hours. We usually have the room booked for 2h (starting from the full hour). If you plan on taking longer than that, please let us know and we'll try to figure it out (e.g. it might be possible to use the room if it is not booked by someone else afterwards).
Please try to be at the location around the full hour, in order for us to be able to prepare everything comfortably. If you cannot make it in time, please let us know as soon as possible.
The room for the talk usually offers a projector screen (audio might not work) and charging plugs, a blackboard with chalk and a (potentially small) whiteboard with markers. Please let us know in the form what kinds of equipment you will likely use. If you need something else, please also note it down. We will try to accommodate you.
At 15 past, we will first introduce you to the audience, then the stage is yours. If your talk will take longer than 1h, consider planning for a break of about 5-10min, multiple breaks if the talk will be especially long. Any break will happen at your discretion. After your talk, there will be an open discussion and it is expected that you answer some of the audience's questions. This is the end of the talk. Afterwards, some members of the audience might approach you to talk with you more deeply about your topic.
If you have any further questions, you can contact us either in person or via our channels.