Singularities: When Smooth Things Go Sharp
Discover how mathematicians unravel singularities—sharp turns in shapes—revealing hidden patterns in science and technology.
Singularities: When Smooth Things Go Sharp
This lecture is face-to-face in Lecture Theatre 7 of the Rendall Building on the University of Liverpool's campus, building 432 in square D3 of https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/maps/Campus-Map-December-2025.pdf. It is suitable for anyone aged 16 or over with an interest in mathematics. Please book one ticket for each person attending. There will not be a live stream or a recording.
From the crease in a folded piece of paper to the tip of a cone, singularities are places where smooth shapes suddenly turn sharp, crumpled, or irregular. In this talk we’ll explore how mathematicians study these fascinating phenomena. Using illuminating examples like the cusp of a curve or the pinch of a surface, we’ll uncover how mathematicians reveal the hidden patterns behind singularities in places as varied as optics, astrophysics, and robotics.
About the speaker
Dr Graham Reeve gained his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 2012, after which he went on to do postdoctoral research at Universidade de São Paulo. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Liverpool Hope University, where he has taught since 2017.
Graham is the 2025-26 President of the Liverpool Mathematical Society and this is his Presidential Lecture.
Discover how mathematicians unravel singularities—sharp turns in shapes—revealing hidden patterns in science and technology.
Singularities: When Smooth Things Go Sharp
This lecture is face-to-face in Lecture Theatre 7 of the Rendall Building on the University of Liverpool's campus, building 432 in square D3 of https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/maps/Campus-Map-December-2025.pdf. It is suitable for anyone aged 16 or over with an interest in mathematics. Please book one ticket for each person attending. There will not be a live stream or a recording.
From the crease in a folded piece of paper to the tip of a cone, singularities are places where smooth shapes suddenly turn sharp, crumpled, or irregular. In this talk we’ll explore how mathematicians study these fascinating phenomena. Using illuminating examples like the cusp of a curve or the pinch of a surface, we’ll uncover how mathematicians reveal the hidden patterns behind singularities in places as varied as optics, astrophysics, and robotics.
About the speaker
Dr Graham Reeve gained his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 2012, after which he went on to do postdoctoral research at Universidade de São Paulo. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Liverpool Hope University, where he has taught since 2017.
Graham is the 2025-26 President of the Liverpool Mathematical Society and this is his Presidential Lecture.
Good to know
Highlights
- 1 hour
- In-person
Location
Rendall Building (Lecture Theatre 7)
Bedford Street South
Liverpool L69 7WW
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