May 3, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Ruane Center for the Humanities 206
Computability Theory and Combinatorial Games
Shelley Stahl, Ph.D.
Bridgewater State University
You may have played cops and robbers on the playground, but have you ever played on a graph? What about playing leapfrog on a grid? In this talk, we will talk about combinatorial games including Cops and Robbers on Graphs, Toads and Frogs, and Chomp. Many combinatorial games have been mathematically studied to the point of knowing who will win before the game even starts! We will discuss what it means for a game to be “solved” or “determined,” and introduce tools of computability theory as a way to compare the complexity of various games and strategies.
Shelley Stahl is an assistant professor of mathematics at Bridgewater State University. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a doctorate in mathematics. Dr. Stahl’s research interests are in the fields of combinatorics and logic, specifically computability theory. She is also interested in math pedagogy and enrichment, and during the summers she enjoys working with the STEM outreach program Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics.
If you are a person with a disability and require an assistive device, service, or other accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Central Reservations Coordinator (401-865-2070; M-F 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m.) well in advance of this event.
