Distinguished Seminar in Computational Science and Engineering

Distinguished Seminar in Computational Science and Engineering

April 28, 2022, 12 PM ET

Zoom Webinar

Planar Steklov problems: some divertissements
Nilima Nigam
Professor of Mathematics
Simon Fraser University

Abstract:
Steklov eigenproblems and their variants (where the spectral parameter appears in the boundary condition) arise in a range of useful applications. As an instance, understanding some properties of the mixed Steklov-Neumann eigenfunctions tells us why we shouldn’t use coffee cups for expensive brandy.

In this talk I’ll survey some questions and recent work in the spectral geometry of Steklov problems. We use a simple yet high-accuracy strategy for computing Steklov eigenpairs, based on integral operators. We’ll use these to examine some concrete examples in spectral optimization and to the solution of elliptic boundary value problems with Robin boundary conditions.

Bio:
Nilima Nigam is broadly interested in applied, industrial and computational mathematics, and is fortunate to have dabbled in many problems. In recent years she thinks about spectral problems, and (unrelatedly) the mechanics of skeletal muscle. She joined Simon Fraser University  in 2008 as a T-II Canada Research Chair, after 7 years at McGill (2001-2008). She served as the Associate Scientific Director of MITACS from 2008-2010. She obtained her PhD from the University of Delaware in 1999,  and was an Industrial Postdoctoral Fellow at the IMA, Minnesota from 1999-2001.

Planar Steklov problems: some divertissements
Nilima Nigam
Professor of Mathematics
Simon Fraser University