PME Conference Details

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April 10-11, 2026

Dr. Lily Khadjavi, Keynote Speaker

fULL cONFERENCE PROGRAM

April 10th, 8:00pm @ PENGL 269, SJU

ZOOM: https://csbsju.zoom.us/j/99690753103

Abstract: Race, Policing, and the Fourth Amendment:  What do numbers reveal?

We know all too well that encounters with law enforcement make national headlines when they end in tragedy. While these events draw intense public attention, most police stops occur outside of public view. How can we better understand everyday policing beyond the cases in the national spotlight? Many agencies collect data, but what can we learn beyond simply counting who is stopped? When a driver is pulled over, the stop may include a frisk or search, but only under specific legal conditions. This naturally raises questions:  Who is searched, and under what basis? Are drivers asked to give consent to a search, thereby waiving their Fourth Amendment rights? Who agrees, and who declines? Our window in can not only illuminate racial and ethnic disparities but can also point to concrete policy recommendations. We will see that mathematics and statistics have a critical role to play in understanding questions of justice and shaping public policy in our own communities.

April 11th, 10:30am @ PENGL 269, SJU

ZOOM: https://csbsju.zoom.us/j/95472406546

Abstract: Why a + b = c is harder than it looks:  Exploring the ABC Conjecture

The ABC Conjecture is one of the most famous problems in number theory, connecting the simple equation a + b = c to deep properties of whole numbers. This conjecture has even been called a “holy grail” of the field because it is so prized yet so elusive. In this talk, we’ll explore the conjecture through concrete examples, seeing why mathematicians find it so compelling and how it predicts strong limitations on solutions to familiar equations. In recent years, the conjecture has also raised a broader question:  When can we consider a theorem to have truly been proved? Excitement and debate surrounding a possible proof by Shinichi Mochizuki illustrate how subtle this issue can be. Time permitting, we’ll also see how ideas from geometry, especially elliptic curves, can be used to study this problem about numbers, including work of Noam Elkies that generates interesting examples.