Yogyakarta, August 15, 2024 – The Department of Mathematics at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) successfully hosted an Expert Lecture titled “Geometry of Normed Spaces,” presented by Dr. Eder Kikianty. Born in Medan, Dr. Eki, as she is fondly known, is currently a permanent lecturer at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The event, held in Room A106, on the 1st floor of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UGM, was attended by lecturers and students from undergraduate to doctoral levels, including several participants from the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).
The event was officially opened by the Head of the Mathematics Department, Dr. Nanang Susyanto, S.Si., M.Sc., M.Act.Sc., who, in his remarks, emphasized the importance of a deep understanding of normed spaces in various fields of science, particularly in functional analysis and other mathematical applications.
Dr. Eder Kikianty has an impressive academic profile. Before joining the University of Pretoria, she pursued higher education in Indonesia and Australia, earning recognition as the top student at various levels. In Pretoria, she actively mentors students in various academic and research activities and is involved in several collaborative initiatives aimed at bringing positive change to the field of mathematics education.
As one of the leading experts in functional analysis, Dr. Eder Kikianty provided deep insights into this topic during the lecture. Dr. Eki carefully and clearly explained fundamental concepts such as inner product, semi-inner product space, and normed spaces. She emphasized how the geometry of normed spaces can offer deeper insights into various fields of study, including optimization, control theory, and even machine learning. Normed spaces are crucial in functional analysis as they provide the structure needed to measure vector lengths and distances between vectors, which in turn underpin many concepts in mathematics, such as convergence, continuity, and linear operators.
With an interactive and easy-to-understand teaching style, Dr. Eki successfully made the complex material more accessible to all participants, enabling them to better understand the wide-ranging applications of these concepts in mathematics and applied sciences. The participants were enthusiastic during the discussion session, which was moderated by Nur Khusnussa’adah, M.Sc.
This expert lecture is expected to contribute positively to the development of mathematical science, particularly in the field of normed space geometry. The material presented by Dr. Eki not only broadened the participants’ knowledge but also inspired them to delve deeper into this complex topic. More than just a transfer of knowledge, this event is expected to spark new ideas that will enrich the academic field and bring progress to the education sector in Indonesia, in line with efforts to achieve SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
Keywords: Expert Lecture, Normed Spaces, Functional Analysis
Author: Endang Sulastri
Photo: Lucetta A.