Random walks in the park
When this year's Perimeter Scholars International students were tasked with finding interesting physics in Waterloo Park, three students opted to cast a wider net.
Rather than exploring some of the phenomena in the park next door to Perimeter Institute -- the light dancing on the lake, the wind moving through the trees -- Katie Latimer, Mohamed Hibat Allah, and Matija Medvidović decided to put "random walk" models to a literal test.
As they explain in the video, random walk models aren't just useful for working out how to get back to their apartments. They apply in a wide number of scenarios, from finance to biology.
Further exploration
About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
