Colloquium by Professor Robert Buckingham, University of Cincinnati
Monday, October 20, 2025 3:30–4:30 PM
- LocationMSB 318: Mathematical Sciences Building, Room 318
- DescriptionOur [Colloquium](https://sciences.ucf.edu/math/colloquium/) series offers a platform for research scholars, faculty, students and industry experts to share and exchange ideas, fostering discussion and networking across mathematics, statistics, and data science.
Professor [Robert Buckingham](https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/buckinrt) from University of Cincinnati will speak at this week's colloquium on "Wave Breaking in Nonlinear Dispersive Equations."
Abstract: Nonlinear dispersive equations are important models of energy transfer in many physical systems including bodies of water, the atmosphere, plasmas and optical fibers. The interplay between nonlinearity and dispersion in these models leads to phenomena including dispersive shock waves, solitons, and rogue waves. There is much interest in better understanding wave breaking, i.e. the transition between smooth and oscillatory behavior, for solutions of nonlinear dispersive equations. We will introduce the standard breaking mechanisms for the Korteweg-de Vries equation and the integrable nonlinear Schrodinger equation. We will then cover progress towards understanding Suleimanov-Talanov focusing, a recently discovered non-generic phenomenon that resembles rogue wave behavior and arises in a variety of situations. Part of this work is joint with Robert Jenkins (UCF) and Peter Miller (University of Michigan).
Speaker Bio: Robert Buckingham is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cincinnati. He received his PhD in 2005 from Duke University under the direction of Stephanos Venakides. He held postdoctoral positions at the University of Michigan and the Centre de Recherches Mathematiques in Montreal before joining Cincinnati in 2009. His research focuses on the asymptotic analysis of differential equations and probabilistic models arising in mathematical physics. - Websitehttps://events.ucf.edu/event/3974010/colloquium-by-professor-robert-buckingham-university-of-cincinnati/