# Past Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar

13 November 2008
12:00
Spiro Karigiannis
Abstract
I will give a survey-type introduction to manifolds equipped with $G_2$ structures, emphasizing the similarities and differences with Riemannian manifolds equipped with almost complex structures, and with oriented Riemannian 3-manifolds. Along the way I may discuss the Berger classification of Riemannian holonomy, the Calabi-Yau theorem, exceptional geometric structures arising from the algebra of the Octonions, and calibrated submanifolds. This talk is the second of two parts.
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
6 November 2008
12:00
Spiro Karigiannis
Abstract
I will give a survey-type introduction to manifolds equipped with $G_2$ structures, emphasizing the similarities and differences with Riemannian manifolds equipped with almost complex structures, and with oriented Riemannian 3-manifolds. Along the way I may discuss the Berger classification of Riemannian holonomy, the Calabi-Yau theorem, exceptional geometric structures arising from the algebra of the Octonions, and calibrated submanifolds. This talk will be in two parts.
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
30 October 2008
12:00
Steven Rayan
Abstract
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
23 October 2008
12:00
Ana Ferreira
Abstract
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
16 October 2008
12:00
Oscar Randal-Williams
Abstract
Geometrically, the problem of descent asks when giving some structure on a space is the same as giving some structure on a cover of the space, plus perhaps some extra data.<br /> In algebraic geometry, faithfully flat descent says that if $X\rightarrow Y$ is a faithfully flat morphism of schemes, then giving a sheaf on $Y$ is the same as giving a collection of sheaves on a certain simplicial resolution constructed from $X$, satisfying certain compatibility conditions. Translated to algebra, it says that if $S\rightarrow R$ is a faithfully flat morphism of rings, then giving an $S$-module is the same as giving a certain simplical module over a simplicial ring constructed from $R$. In topology, given an etale cover $X\rightarrow Y$ one can recover $Y$ (at least up to homotopy equivalence) from a simplical space constructed from $X$.
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
12 June 2008
12:00
Alan Thompson
Abstract
The birational classification of varieties is an interesting and ongoing problem in algebraic geometry. This talk aims to give an overview of the progress made on this problem in the special case where the varieties considered are surfaces in projective space.
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
29 May 2008
12:00
Vicky Hoskins
Abstract
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar
15 May 2008
12:00
Dirk Schlueter
Abstract
Hilbert schemes classify subschemes of a given projective variety / scheme. They are special cases of Quot schemes which are moduli spaces for quotients of a fixed coherent sheaf. Hilb and Quot are among the first examples of moduli spaces in algebraic geometry, and they are crucial for solving many other moduli problems. I will try to give you a flavour of the subject by sketching the construction of Hilb and Quot and by discussing the role they play in applications, in particular moduli spaces of stable curves and moduli spaces of stable sheaves.
• Junior Geometry and Topology Seminar