Paths to Math: Sergey Cherkis | Institute for Advanced Study

“Paths to Math” chronicles the academic journeys of individual scholars and the moments that ignited their passion for math. With each unique story, this series celebrates the universality of mathematics and the inclusive community of practitioners at IAS, spanning a deep array of backgrounds, interests, geography, ethnicity, and gender.
Sergey Cherkis, a Member in the School of Mathematics (2020-21), is currently trying to understand instantons. Unlike particles in classical mechanics, quantum particles can tunnel through barriers by traveling in imaginary time. By combining his knowledge of mathematics and physics, Sergey is working to understand this peculiar behavior.
Learn more about Sergey’s path, which begins with an early interest in mathematics and physics, and hear how mathematics itself became a tool for overcoming challenges on his academic journey.
“Paths to Math” is produced by OFC (ofc.tv)

[@antoniorubio2158]

I really enjoyed the story of how you came to enjoy math at a high level, thank you for sharing this Sergey!

[@dmitriidemenev5258]

I'm a freshmen in a university, yet I find it somewhat unusual to hear that it is compared to a language without details. I feel like it is a language but with thousands and thousands of dialects which differ even within the same field. The sheer depth of the cultural background necessary to understand the native speaker of that language can be intimidating. I diligently study the common narratives and learn to translate from that language to the language of high school mathematics (set theory, algebra and geometry) with some references to abstract algebra.

[@futurerx4209]

I feel that i had very similar beginning. I also loved math and physics, also was in special school for math and physics and in addition was studying by mail in Moscow University in math school and in Moscow institute of physics and technologyin physics school, and also was invited to Moscow University to enter, and also my parents were really against it, because they also were telling me that i had wrong nationality i will be unable to enter. And I didnt go. Maybe i shouldnt listen them like you and go. Who knows how my life could of turn?

[@Living_for_Him_Alone]

Thank you ❣️

[@robertschlesinger1342]

Excellent video.

[@user-or7ji5hv8y]

Great series

[@abhinashsharma1285]

Very much inspiring 😊

[@TheFireHacker]

First minute and already loving this video.

[@sohiniroy8126]

Inspiring.

[@TheMemesofDestruction]

I too found Math in School all to often boring. I started to really learn from Vdeo Games and modeling situations. Coincidentally Video Games also taught me how to read.

[@YutakaTaniyamasFeels]

How neat.

[@nibussss]

Emotions in math.. I @ u

[@kashu7691]

wouldn't the title sound so much better if "maths" was used instead

[@saadmansakib9002]

Love how IAS celebrate such diversities..

[@yazeed3583]

Anyone knows what's the background music?

[@jordansberman]

Yazeed, we licensed the instrumental music from a music library service.

[@kamilziemian995]

1:40 I don't understand what is said in this moment.

[@kevinje3971]

He can't enrolled at LMU because his ethnicity

[@mdb1239]

Why is if-and-only-if proofs in mathematics adequate? Is it just assumed they are adequate? Or is there another layer? I think I read that some famous mathematician said he couldn't think of a better method so he just accepted it.

[@vijaykrish803]

if and only if is not a method. It is a "bidirectional" assertion. Suppose you prove Proposition B if-and-only-if Proposition A. Then the if part says (if Proposition A is true then Proposition B is true ) And the only-if part says (if Proposition B is true then Proposition A must necessarily be true ). It rules out the possibility that Proposition B is true while Proposition A is false. It should be obvious that plenty of theorems are not if-and-only-if theorems. eg: If a prime number is greater than 2 then it is an odd number is a true statement. However, if a number is odd, this does not mean it is a prime number greater than 2

[@no-de3lg]

I wish i was smart enough to be honest I like math but I have barrier wish is that im always absent minded

[@soccerbels7947]

I feel you

[@achinthmurali5207]

KZbin recommends this only to geniuses.

[@darthmath1071]

Unfortunately, no.

[@diff2587]

I'm proof to the contrary

[@merlepatterson]

Just don't attempt to convince the mathematicians at CERN that 1+1=2.

[@vijaykrish803]

Yup. If you change the axioms, it needs a proof. I remember many years ago while in a mathematical logic class writing a half page proof that 1 + 1 = 2

[@kamilziemian995]

0:25 There is no problem with complex numbers, but all this procedure of introducing "imaginary time” is mathematically fishy. At least for my money.