We are happy to announce the return of our talk series, stORIEs and snacks, after a hiatus last semester. We hope you still remember the card tricks demonstrated by Prof. Ramprasad Saptarishi at our previous event!
Our next speaker, Prof. Piyush Srivastava from the School of Technology and Computer Science (STCS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), will take us on a walk through the world of approximations—exploring the whys, whats, and hows of approximation.
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM (Snacks first, stories next)
Venue: LC 201 (Lecture Hall Complex)
Title: Approximations
Abstract: It is famously hard to find "exact" answers. So we often settle for approximate ones. But how approximate is still "good"? And how do we get the "best" approximations? In this talk, we will explore some glimpses from the fascinating theory and practice of mathematical approximation: starting from ancient usages in carpentry, land measurement, and observational astronomy, to modern mathematics and machine learning.
Speaker: Piyush Srivastava
Brief Bio: Piyush Srivastava works at the School of Technology and Computer Science at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. He is interested in algorithms, probability, and their interactions with physics. His webpage is at https://www.tifr.res.in/piyush.srivastava/