A Practical Introduction to Stick Knot Theory

Knots have been used throughout human history, from tethering boats to tying your shoes. Knot theory formalizes the nature and properties of knots. This talk will introduce participants to the history, fundamentals, and applications of a subset of knot theory, stick knots, using interactive exercises. Participants are encouraged to attend a subsequent talk discussing the results of a student inquiry into two-dimensional stick knot representations completed by the Eastern Oregon University 2014-2015 Undergraduate Mathematics Research Group.