7th Rencontres mathématiques Valenciennoises

• Clean values: when bacterial growth sounds like a guitar by Bertrand Cloez, Research Director at INRAE

The sound of musical instruments is directly related to the vibrations of strings, skins, air etc. and therefore to the wave equation. Starting from this equation, we'll explore how mathematics, sometimes simple, sometimes less so, informs us about the link
between the shapes of instruments and their sounds, such as the fret spacing on a guitar or the shape of
drums. Since these properties are abstract and mathematical, they transfer to other applications. We'll see later, then, how the same mathematics can be used in population models concretely used in current research.

• Parametric modeling of the elephant trunk by Laura Saini, teacher-researcher at JUNIA and CERAMATHS
  Inspired by nature, deformable and continuum robots are increasingly used in numerous applications such as logistics, agriculture, medical therapy or human-robot collaboration. Despite their many advantages, precise control of their shape remains a major challenge due to their very large number of degrees of freedom, which are impossible to control individually. To address this issue, we propose a parametric approach based on the use of Pythagorean hodograph algebraic-trigonometric curves. This model makes it possible to model complex trajectories of deformable robots, thanks to the exact calculation of the curve arc length or the reproduction of circular or elliptical shapes.
  

• When a mathematician remakes his bathroom! by Lucas Reding, Senior Lecturer at CERAMATHS
  . Paving a surface with tiles is a task that may seem trivial, but don't expect to save time by inviting a mathematician to help you, because then questions will arise whose answers are anything but obvious. Since ancient times, mathematicians have been interested in tessellations of the plane: periodic, non-periodic and even random. Even today, many questions remain unanswered, and new discoveries are made regularly. For example, the tessellation shown here was only discovered in March 2023. In this talk I offer you a glimpse of what this field of mathematics has in store for us (and some tips for remodeling your bathroom).
  

• When maths and electrochemistry combine to model iron corrosion by Juliette Venel, Senior Lecturer at CERAMATHS
  Iron in contact with an aqueous solution corrodes, creating a layer of oxide at the interface between the metal and the solution. This electrochemical phenomenon is complex and involves several players: electrons, iron cations and, of course, oxygen anions. In order to model this phenomenon, with the aim of predicting its evolution, numerous equations need to be written, combining electrochemical knowledge and mathematical skill. We will explain in this context, how an interdisciplinary collaboration proves relevant and allows both scientific communities to progress in solving their problems.

This event is intended for students in the mathematics bachelor's degree and CaSSAD Master's program at INSA Hauts-de-France/UPHF, pupils and students in preparatory classes at Lycée Wallon and partner high schools, and their teaching teams.

On registration for other participants before March 09, 2026 by sending an email to @email

Location: UPHF, Campus Mont Houy, Bâtiment Matisse, Amphi 500