Academic Seminars

We periodically offer Academic Seminars to our students, their families, and our own colleagues. Each 90-minute seminar features a presentation by one of our tutors in his or her area of academic specialty. Academic Seminars provide the chance for an audience to partake in a particular subject of general interest via a distilled, engaging summary. At the same time, we share our passion for the subjects we study and draw from our group's deep reservoir of academic talent and interests.

Seminars are attended strictly on a “love of learning” basis — no homework, no grades, no tests, and no fees.

Summer Seminar
New York City

“Why Do Beautiful Minds Play Games?”

In this three-seminar series, our lecturer Dr. Noel Edelson introduces the basic solution concept of game theory, Nash equilibrium, and the normal and extensive game forms by studying canonical examples: Prisoner's Dilemma; Bach or Stravinsky; Matching Pennies; Stag Hunt; Chicken. Insights gained from these stylized types help us explore coalition games, extensive games with imperfect information, evolutionary games, experimental games, and repeated games.

The final session will end on a personal note, with two game theory problems that our lecturer has contemplated:

• A method for eliciting honest responses in property tax grievance procedures
• The creation of a real game based on a childhood memory

Prerequisites

Fifth-grade mathematics and an open, playful mind.