Thu, 21 Feb 2013

15:30 - 16:30
L2

Centers and traces of categorified affine Hecke algebras (or, some tricks with coherent complexes on the Steinberg variety)

Anatoly Preygel
(UC Berkeley)
Abstract

The bounded coherent dg-category on (suitable versions of) the Steinberg stack of a reductive group G is a categorification of the affine Hecke algebra in representation theory.  We discuss how to describe the center and universal trace of this monoidal dg-category.  Many of the techniques involved are very general, and the description makes use of the notion of "odd micro-support" of coherent complexes.  This is joint work with Ben-Zvi and Nadler.

Tue, 05 Mar 2013
17:00
L2

"Galois problems in Schubert Calculus, and related problems"

Prof Iain Gordon
(Edinburgh)
Abstract

I will discuss some recent developments in Schubert calculus and a potential relation to classical combinatorics for symmetric groups and possible extensions to complex reflection groups.

Tue, 12 Feb 2013
17:00
L2

Rigidity of group actions

Alex Gorodnik
(Bristol)
Abstract

We discuss the problem to what extend a group action determines geometry of the space. 
More precisely, we show that for a large class of actions measurable isomorphisms must preserve 
the geometric structure as well. This is a joint work with Bader, Furman, and Weiss.

Tue, 29 Jan 2013
17:00
L2

Intersections of subgroups of free products.

Yago Antolin Pichel
(Southampton)
Abstract

I will introduce the notion of Kurosh rank for subgroups of 
free products. This rank satisfies the Howson property, i.e. the 
intersection of two subgroups of finite Kurosh rank has finite Kurosh rank.
I will present a version of the Strengthened Hanna Neumann inequality in 
the case of free products of right-orderable groups. Joint work with  A. 
Martino and I. Schwabrow.

Tue, 15 Jan 2013
17:00
L2

Homological dimension of soluble groups and some new complement and supplement theorems.

Peter Kropholler
(Southamapton)
Abstract

The homological dimension of a group can be computed over any coefficient ring $K$.
It has long been known that if a soluble group has finite homological dimension over $K$
then it has finite Hirsch length and the Hirsch length is an upper bound for the homological
dimension. We conjecture that equality holds: i.e. the homological dimension over $K$ is
equal to the Hirsch length whenever the former is finite. At first glance this conjecture looks
innocent enough. The conjecture is known when $K$ is taken to be the integers or the field
of rational numbers. But there is a gap in the literature regarding finite field coefficients.
We'll take a look at some of the history of this problem and then show how some new near complement
and near supplement theorems for minimax groups can be used to establish the conjecture
in special cases. I will conclude by speculating what may be required to solve the conjecture outright.

Tue, 20 Nov 2012
17:00
L2

"Nielsen equivalence and groups whose profinite genus is infinite"

Martin Bridson
(Oxford)
Abstract

In our 2004 paper, Fritz Grunewald and I constructed the first
pairs of finitely presented, residually finite groups $u: P\to G$
such that $P$ is not isomorphic to $G$ but the map that $u$ induces on
profinite completions is an isomorphism. We were unable to determine if
there might exist finitely presented, residually finite groups $G$ that
with infinitely many non-isomorphic finitely presented subgroups $u_n:
P_n\to G$ such that $u_n$ induces a profinite isomorphism. I shall
discuss how two recent advances in geometric group theory can be used in
combination with classical work on Nielsen equivalence to settle this
question.

Tue, 06 Nov 2012
17:00
L2

Group actions on rings and the Cech complex.

Peter Symonds
(Manchester)
Abstract

 We present a new, more conceptual proof of our result that, when a finite group acts on a polynomial ring, the regularity of the ring of invariants is at most zero, and hence one can write down bounds on the degrees of the generators and relations. This new proof considers the action of the group on the Cech complex and looks at when it splits over the group algebra. It also applies to a more general class of rings than just polynomial ones.

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