Berstein Seminar
We'll read a variety of papers on some topic of interest in geometric group theory or geometric topology. This topic will be decided by the participants of the seminar.
For example, we might read a variety of papers on group actions on various kinds of trees. We could start with Bass-Serre theory (simplicial trees), move on to Rips theory (real trees), and then learn something about JSJs (deformation spaces of trees).
Here is a list of the upcoming topics.
Partial reading list (trees)
- P. Scott and T. Wall,
"Topological methods in group theory". Homological group theory (Proc. Sympos., Durham, 1977), pp. 137–203,
London Math. Soc. Lecture Note Ser., 36, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge-New York, 1979 MR0564422.
- Serre, Trees. MR1954121.
- M. Bestvina, "R-trees in topology, geometry, and group theory" pdf
- M. Bestvina and M. Feighn. "Stable actions of groups on real trees." Invent. Math. 121 (1995), no. 2, 287–321 MR1346208.
- V. Guirardel, "Actions of finitely generated groups on R-trees." Ann. Inst. Fourier (Grenoble) 58 (2008), no. 1, 159–211. MR2401220.
- V. Guirardel and G. Levitt, "JSJ
decompositions: definitions, existence, uniqueness. I: The JSJ
deformation space", arXiv:0911.3173.
Time and Place: MWF 12:20pm, Malott 206
Web page: http://www.math.cornell.edu/~jfmanning/teaching/2014F7510.html.
Last updated 22 October, 2014