Events

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Texas Tech University

Spring 2026

Week:

Jan. 19 - Jan. 25

All

Current week

Colloquia

None this week

Seminars

Wednesday
Jan. 21

Algebra and Number Theory
No Seminar

Wednesday
Jan. 21
4 PM
online

Applied Mathematics and Machine Learning
Smoothing Traffic via Automated Vehicles: From Mathematical Models to Large-Scale Experiments
Benjamin Seibold
Department of Mathematics, Temple University

Abstract: A distinguishing feature of vehicular traffic flow is that it may exhibit significant wave patterns. We first demonstrate that those frustrating (when stuck in traffic) traffic features possess an intriguing structural beauty (when seen from the outside), rendering phantom traffic jam to be mathematical analogs of detonation waves. We then show how a few well-controlled automated vehicles can mitigate traffic instabilities and waves, first in theory and simulation, then in real-world traffic experiments. These culminate in the CIRCLES (Congestion Impacts Reduction via CAV-in-the-loop Lagrangian Energy Smoothing) project: the largest field test of deployed control vehicles on a fully instrumented highway, carried out by a consortium of mathematicians, engineers, industry partners, and government agencies.

When: 4:00 pm (Lubbock's local time is GMT -6)
Where: room Math 011 (Math Basement)
ZOOM details:
- Choice #1: use this link Direct Link that embeds meeting and ID and passcode.
- Choice #2: join meeting using this link Join Meeting, then you will have to input the ID and Passcode by hand:
* Meeting ID: 949 9288 2213
* Passcode: Applied

Conferences and Meetings

None this week