David Sumpter (University of Uppsala)

Date

Friday October 1, 2021
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Location

Online via Zoom

Math & Stats Department Colloquium

 

David Sumpter (University of Uppsala)

Friday, October 1st, 2021

Time: 2:30 p.m.  Place: Online (via Zoom)

Speaker: David Sumpter (University of Uppsala)

Title: Are there Ten Equations that rule the world? And if so, what are they?

Abstract: I describe ten key equations you need to know in order to make better decisions, understand the filter created by social media and even to be a better person. Using examples, such as ‘deciding whether your new boss is an idiot?’, 'deciding when to stop watching a Netflix series' and ‘buying new headphones’, I present some new ways of seeing some of our favourite mathematical results. I also describe these equations' role in society: in finance, gambling, social media and artificial intelligence. Surprisingly few people in the general public understand these key equations and the small group that do are becoming increasingly rich and powerful. I think there are (order) ten equations that rule the world and we have to learn how to use them and spread their usage.

David Sumpter is Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Uppsala, Sweden. He is the author of Soccermatics and Outnumbered, which have been translated into ten languages, and Collective Animal Behaviour, the leading text in the academic field he helped create. He has worked with a number of the world's biggest football clubs, advising on analytics, as well as consulting on betting.

Video of David Sumpter's talk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aN9mgkRaYOSy8dSauJ7r2aBIBEnpqOmV/view (mp4, 1.7 GB)