Abstract Examples
MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Title: CLOSED-WORLD REASONING APPLIED TO MATHEMATICAL PROOF
Major(s): Mathematics
Department: Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics
Abstract: Many students have sat in the tutoring center working through problem after
problem on their math homework wondering why they cannot solve them. It turns
outthat much of classical mathematical logic is quite different from the way humans
reason. In fact, without a rigorous background in mathematical logic it is difficult for
humans to reason according to the norms of formal mathematics. This project assumes
Husserl’s idea that people reason to an interpretation and from an interpretation and
includes new insights into the way in which humans construct logical frameworks.
Using Stenning and Van Lambalgen’s theory that much of human reasoning is
about process planning we will apply closed-world reasoning to the construction of
mathematical proofs via logic programming. The resulting model will help explicate
the problems student have in creating proofs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: MANDELMANIA: A MANDELBROT FRACTAL ANIMATION VIDEO
Major(s): Computer Science
Department: Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics
Abstract: This presentation is an animation video, accompanied by music, which
shows a series of six sequences of zooming into the Mandelbrot set, each sequence
starting from a point that shows the entire set. Making the final video required using
skills acquired in the fields of art, music, and computer science. Programming and
graphics skills were used to write algorithms that convert to and from the RGB (Red,
Green, and Blue) and HSV (Hue, Saturation, and Value) color spaces to create a series of
revolving colors that are aesthetically pleasing. Skills learned in the Computer Science
Operating Systems class were used to separate the processing of different frames
of the animation out onto different processors, to be simultaneously generated on
multiple-processor machines.
This abstract clearly introduces what the presentation will contain, and it provides
interesting detail. However, while the last sentence explains how the presenters were able
to create the presentation, it might be better if this sentence explained why this type of
presentation is of interest to the audience or what they can learn from the presentation.
This immediately captures personal
interest in the presentation by telling us
how it relates to us.
This abstract clearly and effectively tells us why the problem was researched and
how, and it explains what the audience will gain from attending the presentation.