[Discrete-math-seminar] Wednesday 11am May 2nd: Cheryl Balm

[Robert Ellis]

Please join us for the 2nd to last talk of the semester.

Wednesday, May 2 11am-noon E1 241
Cheryl Balm (IIT Applied Mathematics)

Title: On correcting MRI brain scans via a spherical homomorphism theorem

In 2001 Shattuck and Leahy published a paper on "Automated Graph-Based 
Anaylsis and Correction of Cortical Volume Topology" which presented and 
algorithm for correcting a MRI brain scan that is not homeomorphic to a 
sphere.  They also stated a "sphereical homeomorphism conjecture" that the 
boundary (gray matter) between the forground region (white matter, or 
"inside" of the brain) and background region is topologically spherical if 
and only if certain associated multigraphs are trees.  This conjecture has 
since been proven.  This talk will be a basic overview of this and and 
other related matters.