Course Schedule

Course Schedule#

The course schedule is maintained below. Note that this schedule is subject to change during the semester, so check back often!

Readings are from Dey & Wang, Computational Topology for Data Analysis (DW, free online) unless marked otherwise; EH is Edelsbrunner & Harer, Computational Topology: An Introduction. See the Textbook page for details.

Course Schedule#

Date

Lec.

Topic (Planned)

Reading

Notes

Due

16/9

1

Overview of course; basic topology definitions

DW 1.1–1.3

HW 1 posted

23/9

2

Manifolds and Morse theory

DW 1.4, 1.5

Problem presentations begin

30/9

3

Simplicial complexes

DW 2.1–2.3

HW 1

7/10

4

Homology

DW 2.4, 2.5

Final project introduced; paper list posted. HW 2 posted

14/10

5

Computing homology

DW 2.5.1, 3.1; EH IV.2

Bring laptop

21/10

6

Persistent homology

DW 3.2, 3.3; EH VII.1

HW 2

28/10

7

Persistence in practice

DW 3.5, 6.1

Bring laptop. HW 3 posted

Project proposal

4/11

8

Distances between diagrams

DW 3.4; EH VIII.2

Proposal feedback returned

11/11

9

Persistence and ML

DW 13.1, 13.3

Bring laptop

HW 3

18/11

10

Reeb graphs and merge trees

DW 7.1–7.3

HW 4 posted

25/11

11

Mapper

DW 9.1, 9.3

Bring laptop

2/12

12

Directional transforms

ECT survey; PHT

Presentation schedule posted

HW 4

9/12

13

Discrete Morse theory, multiparameter persistence

DW 10.1, 10.2, 11.1; Multiparameter survey

16/12

Final project presentations

Send slides by Tue 12/15

Project presentation

23/12

No class

Final report

Homework and project deliverables are due at 23:59 on the date listed. Problem presentations take place at the start of every class from Lecture 2 onward; the presenter list will be posted here once enrollment has settled.

Key Dates#

  • Homework (posted two weeks before the due date): HW 1 due 9/30, HW 2 due 10/21, HW 3 due 11/11, HW 4 due 12/2.

  • Final project

    • 10/7 — project introduced in class; suggested paper list posted

    • 10/28 — project proposal due

    • 11/4 — written feedback on proposals returned

    • week of 11/18 — optional check-in meetings, by appointment

    • 12/2 — presentation schedule posted

    • 12/16 — project presentations in class (slides by 12/15)

    • 12/23 — final report due

Office Hours#

Office hours are by appointment - email me to set up a time.