Abstract:Interesting things are often understood in different ways. In this talk I choose three topics such as optimization, entropy and differential equations, and show by examples how these concepts are closely related in mathematically formulating the same problem, but each has a distinct flavor of its own.  The examples include Nestorov’s accelerated scheme, Newton’s apple,  Osher’s level set, and Kompaneets’ equation for photon transport.

[for advanced undergraduates/graduate students/faculty with interests in applied mathematics and physics]