Symmetry through geometry

The next Macquarie University Department of Mathematics Colloquium will be held on Friday 2 March.

Time: 3-4pm
Venue: E7B 146 (ACE room)
Speaker: Prof Nalini Joshi (University of Sydney)

Title: Symmetry through geometry
Abstract: Symmetry is an essential part of our description of the world. The quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other is all around us: one day reflects another and the days fill out the year in the same way that similar hexagonal compartments fill out a honeycomb. The mathematical description of symmetries is built from only two operations: reflections and translations. In two dimensions, these give rise to triangular, hexagonal and square tilings of the plane. But in higher dimensions, many more tiling patterns are available. One of the many questions that arise is how to go from higher dimensional tilings to two-dimensional ones. I will show how to use these ideas to link two major theories that arise in mathematical physics.

Please meet by the E7A Level 7 tearoom at 12.30pm if you would like to join the speaker for lunch at the Staff Café.
After the colloquium, light refreshments will be served in the E7A Level 7 tearoom from 4-5pm.
Details of the colloquium series can be found on the department website: Mathematics Colloquium.

Next week: Prof John Sader (University of Melbourne) and Dr Kevin Coulembier (University of Sydney).