<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body dir="auto"><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Noah Fleming</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Helvetica;">Memorial University, Newfoundland</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <img alt="image001.png" src="cid:87312E6C-2F98-4C18-995C-5821D128165B" id="image001.png@01DB65CF.1E0CE9C0" _mf_state="1" title="null"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span dir="ltr">Tuesday, </span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">January 21</span></span><span dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">, 202</span></span><span dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">5,</span></span><span dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr"> at 3:30pm</span></span></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; background: yellow;">Kent Chemical Laboratory, Room 120</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">Title:</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"> Proofs, Circuits, and Total Functions</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">Abstract:</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"> Recently deep connections between the studies of total search problems (TFNP) and the complexity of theorem proving (proof complexity) have led to a led to the resolution of a large number of important open problems in both areas. This includes a complete understanding of the relationships between the major TFNP subclasses (in the black-box setting), as well as a deeper understanding of interpolation theorems and lifting theorems in proof complexity -- tools which have been highly influential for proving lower bounds in proof and circuit complexity. In this survey talk I will detail why and when these connections between proof complexity and TFNP emerge, as well as some exciting directions for future research. </span></p><div dir="ltr"></div></body></html>