Speaker: 

Lynn Heller (HIMIS)

Time: 

September 23 (Wed), 2026, 2:30–3:30 pm

Location: 

HIMIS 7A1

Title: 

Surfaces and Some Unexpected Connections

Abstract: 

In this talk, I’ll give an introduction to my research through some of my favourite surfaces and the questions behind them. I work on minimal surfaces—the mathematical relatives of soap films—as well as constant mean curvature and Willmore surfaces. How can we construct these surfaces, deform them, and understand their geometry?

I’ll explain how these questions connect to integrable systems and Higgs bundles, and how multiple zeta values make a surprising appearance when computing areas. Along the way, I’ll share pictures, examples, and a few questions I’m currently thinking about.

Bio: 

Lynn Heller is a Professor at HIMIS. She obtained her PhD in Mathematics from the University of Tübingen in 2012. She previously held a junior professorship at Leibniz University Hannover and a professorship at BIMSA. Her work in differential geometry studies minimal, constant mean curvature and Willmore surfaces through geometric analysis, integrable systems and algebraic geometry.