ESP Biography



JONATHAN SCHNEIDER, MIT Senior studying Mathematics




Major: 18

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2013

Picture of Jonathan Schneider

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Don't you have to draw to sketch things?



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

M6873: Cryptography, Information, and Complexity in HSSP Spring 2013 (Mar. 02, 2013)
This class will cover varying topics ranging across theoretical computer science. Some topics include: - Cryptography, or, how to tell secrets - Information Theory, or, how to measure randomness - Complexity Theory, or, why can't your computer do everything - Algorithms, or, how does your computer do everything


M7137: Extreme Math in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
We did this for Splash and some people seemed to like it, so we're doing this again: This class is mostly an excuse for us (the teachers) to watch you (the students) flail while you try to solve tricky math problems on the spot. This is how it will work. We will give you a math problem, and you’ll have to immediately present a solution on the black-board. You’ll have up to eight minutes to present your proof, but you need to continuously be presenting. Then our panel of judges will award you a score based on how correct, confusing, and amusing your solution was. There may or may not be teams, depending on how many students we get.


C7142: Acing the SAT in Spark! 2013 (Mar. 16, 2013)
Come learn about various methods designed to tackle SAT problems. We will learn about methods used by current SAT solvers. If there is time, we will also discuss variants on SAT like 2-SAT, MAX-SAT (approximations), and #SAT.


M6375: Extreme Math in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
We did this last year and people seemed to like it for some reason, so we're doing this again: This class is mostly an excuse for us (the teachers) to watch you (the students) flail while you try to solve tricky math problems on the spot. This is how it will work. We will give you a math problem, and you’ll have to immediately present a solution on the black-board. You’ll have up to eight minutes to present your proof, but you need to continuously be presenting. Then our panel of judges will award you a score based on how correct, confusing, and amusing your solution was. There may or may not be teams, depending on how many students we get.


X6442: Cryptic Crosswords in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Do you like regular crosswords and want to try something new and more challenging? Or maybe you like word games, like Scrabble or Anagrams? Cryptic crosswords combine the best parts of regular crossword puzzles and other word games. We'll teach you how clues like "Change of heart for our planet" can solve to "EARTH" and some of the rules for how cryptic crosswords work, and then you can try solving some on your own!


X6519: Why People Are Weird: Paradoxes in Decision Theory in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
Did you know that the only voting method that isn't flawed is a dictatorship? Or that sometimes, when you build a new road in a city, everyone's commute time might increase? We'll be presenting some counter-intuitive 'paradoxes' that show what happens when you assume everyone is completely rational.


M6520: Doing Math with Physics in Splash! 2012 (Nov. 17 - 18, 2012)
People usually use math to do physics. They're silly. Come learn how to prove various mathematical theorems with clever physical arguments. Topics include proving the Pythagorean theorem via exploding aquariums, the AM-HM inequality through resistor networks, and how to solve lots of standard high-school calculus questions with physical arguments.


X5949: Cryptic Crosswords! in ESPrinkler Spring 2012 (Feb. 18 - Apr. 14, 2012)
Do you like regular crosswords and want to try something new and more challenging? Or maybe you like word games, like Scrabble or Anagrams? Cryptic crosswords combine the best parts of regular crossword puzzles and other word games. We'll teach you how clues like "Change of heart for our planet" can solve to "EARTH" and some of the rules for how cryptic crosswords work, and then you can try solving some on your own!


M5892: Extreme Math in Spark! 2012 (Mar. 10, 2012)
We did this for Splash and some people seemed to like it, so we're doing this again: This class is mostly an excuse for us (the teachers) to watch you (the students) flail while you try to solve tricky math problems on the spot. This is how it will work. We will give you a math problem, and you’ll have to immediately present a solution on the black-board. You’ll have up to eight minutes to present your proof, but you need to continuously be presenting. Then our panel of judges will award you a score based on how correct, confusing, and amusing your solution was. There may or may not be teams, depending on how many students we get.


C5231: Distributed Algorithms in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
Doing algorithms with n computers might seem strictly less hard than doing algorithms with just one computer, but there are all these pesky details to worry about. What if some of your computers break? What if messages sent by some computers never reach others? What if n/3 of your computers are hijacked by terrorists trying to force your algorithm to produce an incorrect answer? This is what distributed algorithms is mostly about. We'll probably talk about some subset of the following classical results: synchronized leader election, distributed MST, the Two Generals' Problem, and byzantine agreement protocols.


M5262: Extreme Math in Splash! 2011 (Nov. 19 - 20, 2011)
This class is mostly an excuse for us (the teachers) to watch you (the students) flail while you try to solve tricky math problems on the spot. This is how it will work. We will give you a math problem, and you'll have to immediately present a solution on the black-board. You'll have up to eight minutes to present your proof, but you need to continuously be presenting. Then our panel of judges will award you a score based on how correct, confusing, and amusing your solution was. There may or may not be teams, depending on how many students we get.


S4056: Maxwell's Equations for Dummies in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
Have you ever wondered how bullet trains levitate? What about how light bulbs work? Or why standing in a metal cage will protect you from lightning? Well, we're not going to tell you, but, we'll give you the theoretical background to figure it out. Maxwell's Equations explain how EVERYTHING to do with electromagnetism works. You might even learn some multivariable calculus on the side. Don't worry, it won't be too painful.


M4057: Doing Math with Physics in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
People usually use math to do physics. They're silly. Come learn how to prove various mathematical theorems with clever physical arguments. Topics include proving the Pythagorean theorem via exploding aquariums, the AM-HM inequality through resistor networks, and how to solve almost any high-school calculus question with physical arguments.


H4061: Canada, and why you shouldn't live there in Splash! 2010 (Nov. 20 - 21, 2010)
Canada, eh?