The Department of Mathematics invites you to attend the 41st Lonseth Lecture on Thursday, May 28, featuring award-winning guest lecturer Laura P. Schaposnik of the University of Illinois, Chicago. In her lecture, titled "Geometry of Hidden & Broken Symmetries," Schaposnik will break symmetry on purpose to see what drives reality:
Many systems look complicated until we ask what stays the same — at both micro and macro scales. At the micro level, exchangeable interactions and local conservation laws simplify PDEs and networks; at the macro level, these invariances organize families of solutions and predict emergent behavior. Then we’ll break symmetry on purpose to see what drives reality: anisotropy in crystal growth and snowflakes, trust biases that trigger information cascades, and more. Symmetry and its selective breaking offer a way to reduce complexity, illuminate mechanisms, and connect fine-scale rules with large-scale patterns across geometry and the applied sciences.
41st Annual Lonseth Lecture
"Geometry of Hidden & Broken Symmetries"
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2026
Time: Department awards at 3:30 p.m.; lecture at 4 p.m.; reception to follow
Location: LaSells Stewart Center, Construction and Engineering Hall
We'll begin by honoring student and faculty achievements at our annual department awards ceremony from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Then we'll settle in for Schaposnik's lecture from 4 to 5 p.m. A public reception will follow immediately after.
About the speaker
Laura P. Schaposnik is an Argentinian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Her research sits at the intersection of geometry, topology and mathematical physics, with a focus on moduli spaces of decorated bundles, and also leads applied projects in network science and mathematical modeling. Schaposnik received the 2025 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), as well as an NSF CAREER award, a Simons Fellowship and a Humboldt Fellowship. She is actively involved in mentoring and outreach, including the development of bilingual STEM books for young readers. Schaposnik will deliver the AMS-MAA Invited Lecture at MathFest 2026.
Established in 1985, the Lonseth Lecture series pays tribute to the legacy of Arvid T. Lonseth, a respected figure in the Mathematics Department at Oregon State University. Explore more about Arvid Lonseth and the lecture series to appreciate its significance within academia.
