Lectures on Tap - The Catalan Numbers: Math's Sneaky Sequence

Professors, experts, and storytellers giving thought-provoking lectures in LA bars. 📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email 🧠 Lecture: "The Catalan Numbers: Math's Sneaky Sequence" 🎤 Speaker: Alissa S. Crans You’ve heard of classic number sequences like the odd numbers, perfect squares, Fibonacci, and triangular numbers. But what about the mysterious sequence 1, 1, 2, 5, 14…? These are the Catalan numbers, a fascinating sequence known to Chinese mathematician Antu Ming and Leonhard Euler in the 1700s and later popularized by Belgian mathematician Eugène Catalan. In this accessible and engaging talk, Professor Alissa S. Crans will reveal how Catalan numbers appear in countless mathematical problems and surprising places, taking on many “disguises” as they quietly solve everything from counting paths to organizing data structures. Nationally recognized for her enthusiastic ability to share and communicate mathematics, Alissa brings math to life everywhere from public libraries and Nerd Nite Los Angeles to the National Math Festival and the National Museum of Mathematics. A professor at Loyola Marymount University, she is deeply committed to broadening participation in mathematics, especially for women and underrepresented students. Come discover why this sneaky sequence is a mathematician’s favorite secret. Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌 Agenda 7:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key. 7:55 PM – Host introduction 8:00 PM – Lecture begins 8:45 PM – Audience Q&A 9:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round 9:30 PM – Wrap up.