What is Combinatorial Thinking? by Brahadeesh Sankarnarayanan @ICTStalks

Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

Program: Summer School for Women in Mathematics and Statistics

ORGANIZERS: Nikita Agarwal (Delhi University, India), Siva Athreya (ICTS-TIFR Bengaluru, India), Rhythm Grover (IIT Guwahati, India), Kannappan Sampath (IISER Pune, India) and Dootika Vats (IIT Kanpur, India)
DATE & TIME: 08 June 2026 to 19 June 2026
VENUE: Ramanujan Lecture Hall, ICTS Bengaluru

The summer school is intended for women students studying in first year B.A/B.Sc./B.E./B.Tech. or equivalent degree and having Mathematics as one of the major subjects/courses, during the academic year 2025-2026. Over a period of two weeks, the school aims to help the students gain broader exposure to problem solving skills in mathematics and statistics at the undergraduate level.

Specific topics that will be covered are:
•⁠ ⁠Calculus:
- Curve Sketching
- Sequences, Limits, and limit points
- Negation and logical deduction
•⁠ ⁠Functions:
- Iterative functions
- Contractions, fixed points
•⁠ ⁠Construction of fractals via contraction maps
•⁠ ⁠⁠Linear Algebra
- Column space, row space, eigenspace
•⁠ ⁠Conditional Probability and Markov chains
•⁠ ⁠⁠R-programming
- Simulating fractals
- Simulating Markov chains

There will be problem solving sessions across topics.

Each topic will have a brief introductory lecture session on a focus area followed by problem-solving sessions on it. The participants are expected to work together to solve the problem sheets that will be given out in these sessions.

Each day will also feature popular science lectures by distinguished researchers and professionals. The topics will be diverse, not limited to mathematics and statistics, and the lectures will be made accessible to all the participants. Other daily events will include post dinner problem solving sessions and discussions with popular science speakers of the day. Further, there will be many opportunities to interact with women scientists who will visit the program for short periods.

CONTACT US: swms@icts.res.in
PROGRAM LINK: icts.res.in/program/swms2026

$What is Combinatorial Thinking? by Brahadeesh Sankarnarayanan Program: Summer School for Women in Mathematics and Statistics ORGANIZERS: Nikita Agarwal (Delhi University, India), Siva Athreya (ICTS-TIFR Bengaluru, India), Rhythm Grover (IIT Guwahati, India), Kannappan Sampath (IISER Pune, India) and Dootika Vats (IIT Kanpur, India) DATE & TIME: 08 June 2026 to 19 June 2026 VENUE: Ramanujan Lecture Hall, ICTS Bengaluru The summer school is intended for women students studying in first year B.A/B.Sc./B.E./B.Tech. or equivalent degree and having Mathematics as one of the major subjects/courses, during the academic year 2025-2026. Over a period of two weeks, the school aims to help the students gain broader exposure to problem solving skills in mathematics and statistics at the undergraduate level. Specific topics that will be covered are: •⁠ ⁠Calculus: - Curve Sketching - Sequences, Limits, and limit points - Negation and logical deduction •⁠ ⁠Functions: - Iterative functions - Contractions, fixed points •⁠ ⁠Construction of fractals via contraction maps •⁠ ⁠⁠Linear Algebra - Column space, row space, eigenspace •⁠ ⁠Conditional Probability and Markov chains •⁠ ⁠⁠R-programming - Simulating fractals - Simulating Markov chains There will be problem solving sessions across topics. Each topic will have a brief introductory lecture session on a focus area followed by problem-solving sessions on it. The participants are expected to work together to solve the problem sheets that will be given out in these sessions. Each day will also feature popular science lectures by distinguished researchers and professionals. The topics will be diverse, not limited to mathematics and statistics, and the lectures will be made accessible to all the participants. Other daily events will include post dinner problem solving sessions and discussions with popular science speakers of the day. Further, there will be many opportunities to interact with women scientists who will visit the program for short periods. CONTACT US: swms@icts.res.in PROGRAM LINK: https://icts.res.in/program/swms2026$

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