Monday, April 30, 2007

Differential Geometry

So today I read up on this titular subject, and came to the conclusion that it is the possibly cannibis-induced lovechild of set theory and vector calculus. For those unfamiliar with the subjects, they are two very core fields in mathematics. I know many people who are good at one and only one (myself included); I know of none adept at both.

The following words have defined mathematical meanings that I was completely unaware of before today:

  • Patch
  • Umbilical
  • Monkey saddle
  • Maximal
  • Compact
  • Pullback
  • Pushout
  • Categorical dual
  • Bundle
  • Fibre product
  • Functor
And no, I am not exaggerating in any way. Each and every one of these terms is related in some manner to differential geometry, I have discovered them all in my reading.

Update: I reworded things a little, as previously this entry sounded far more harshly than I intended.

Welcome

My name is Miike Barriault. I am a math student at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Starting April 30, 2007, I began working for one of my profs under a research grant. It is my intention to, every day, post on this blog whatever interesting thing happened to me that day or, if nothing is worth saying, just rant about something that's bugging me (or that I enjoy) about my job.