DMS Combinatorics Seminar

Speaker: Ellen Veomett (University of San Francisco)

Title: Mathematical Questions in Redistricting and Detecting Gerrymandering

Abstract:  Please come learn how your skills and expertise as a mathematician can be used to improve our democracy!  We'll discuss what redistricting is, and mathematical metrics that can help to determine whether or not a redistricting map is "fair."  We'll also learn about the redistricting "metagraph," which is (as you probably guessed) a graph of graphs.  (This is the kind of graph you've heard of in your discrete math or combinatorics class).  The structure of this metagraph is unknown, and has impacts on whether a tool that is frequently cited in courts does a good job of sampling potential redistricting maps.  Finally, we'll look at two-player-games in redistricting.  In particular, we'll look at trees that arise from the "Connected Recursive Bisection" protocol, which is a two-player game to create a redistricting map.