Sixty-ninth meeting of the Transpennine Topology Triangle

Department of Pure Mathematics
University of Sheffield
Thursday
14/05/09

This will be a working meeting. There will therefore be the usual time for participant discussion.

Programme

11.00 am: Coffee in I15
11.30 am, Northcott Room J11: Assaf Libman (Aberdeen)
"The gluing problem and Bredon cohomology".
2.30 pm, Northcott Room J11: Andras Juhasz (Cambridge)
"Classifying minimal genus Seifert surfaces"
3.30 pm, I15: Tea
4.15 pm, Northcott Room J11: Michael Farber (Durham)
"Topology of random manifolds"

We expect to go to eat nearby, soon after the last talk.

Abstracts

Michael Farber "Topology of random manifolds"

Betti numbers of configuration spaces of mechanical linkages (known also as polygon spaces) depend on a large number of parameters -- the lengths of the bars of the linkage. Motivated by applications in topological robotics, statistical shape theory and molecular biology, we view these lengths as random variables and study asymptotic values of the average Betti numbers as the number of links n tends to infinity. We establish a surprising fact that for a reasonably ample class of sequences of probability measures the asymptotic values of the average Betti numbers are independent of the choice of the measure.

Andras Juhasz "Classifying minimal genus Seifert surfaces"

First I will survey two different notions of equivalence for Seifert surfaces. Then I will show how sutured Floer homology helps in the classification of minimal genus Seifert surfaces under both types of equivalence.

Anyone who wishes to participate is welcome: we shall operate the usual arrangements for assistance with travel expenses. We expect to assemble for tea and coffee in I15, Floor 5, from 11.00 am until the first talk. Each lecture will take place in Room J11 of the Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield.
Tea and Coffee will be served in the common room I15.
For further information email John Greenlees j.greenlees@sheffield.ac.uk, (or John Hunton jrh7@mcs.le.ac.uk or Nige Ray nige@ma.man.ac.uk) if you are interested, so we can make approximately the right amount of tea and coffee.

How to get there

From the rail station, you can catch the Number 40 bus (Orange Line), and get off where it crosses the ring road. Or take the supertram to the University stop. There is more information at School of Mathematics and Statistics Homepage

The meeting is partially supported by a Scheme 3 grant from the London Mathematical Society.

TTT meetings are partially supported by an LMS Scheme 3 grant. Anyone who wishes to participate is welcome: we shall operate the usual arrangements for assistance with travel expenses.

For further information email John Greenlees j.greenlees(\a\t) sheffield.ac.uk, John Hunton jrh7(\a\t) mcs.le.ac.uk or Nige Ray nige(\a\t) ma.man.ac.uk if you are interested.

Escape routes