North British Probability Seminar – Events
Seminars and Events for 25/26: (NBPS runs on Tuesday afternoons from 2.05 pm to 3 pm in the academic year 25/26)
Tuesday December 9, 2025 [ONLINE]
Evgeni Dimitrov (University of Southern California)
Time: 4.05 – 5.00 pm
Zoom Link: https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89436889769
Password: nbps2526
Title: Line ensembles in symmetrized geometric last passage percolation
Abstract:
In this talk, I will discuss symmetrized geometric last passage percolation. This is a prototypical model in the half-space KPZ universality class that has a natural interpretation as a line ensemble (a collection of random continuous functions). The model depends on parameters 
, which control the background noise strength away from and at the boundary of the model, respectively. Depending on whether 
(subcritical), 
(critical), or 
(supercritical), the model exhibits different asymptotic behavior, and I will discuss some recent progress in understanding this from a line ensemble perspective.
Tuesday December 16, 2025 [ONLINE]
Patrick Lopatto (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Time: 3.05 – 4.00 pm
Zoom Link: https://ed-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89436889769
Password: nbps2526
Title: Optimal rigidity and maximum of the characteristic polynomial of Wigner matrices
Abstract:
We consider two related questions about the extremal statistics of Wigner matrices (random symmetric matrices with independent entries). First, how much can their eigenvalues fluctuate? It is known that the eigenvalues of such matrices display repulsive interactions, which confine them near deterministic locations. We provide optimal estimates for this “rigidity” phenomenon. Second, what is the behavior of the maximum of the characteristic polynomial? This question is motivated by a conjecture of Fyodorov–Hiary–Keating on the maxima of logarithmically correlated fields, and we will present the first results for Wigner matrices. This talk is based on joint work with Paul Bourgade and Ofer Zeitouni.
Tuesday January 27, 2026
Pardis Semnani (University of British Columbia)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday February 3, 2026
Ellen Powell (Durham University)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday February 24, 2026
Tommaso Rosati (University of Warwick)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday March 3, 2026
Alpár Mészáros (Durham University)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday April 28, 2026
Will Hide (University of Oxford)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday May 5, 2026
Benoit Dagallier (Universite Paris Dauphine-PSL)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title: TBA
Abstract:
Tuesday May 26, 2026
Liam Solus (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Time: 2.05 – 3.00 pm
Location: JCMB 5323
Title:TBA
Abstract:
