Algebra Seminar: Scherich -- Discrete Representations of the Braid Groups

Nancy Scherich (UC Santa Barbara) 

Friday 17 August, 12-1pm, Place: Carslaw 375 

Title: Discrete Representations of the Braid Groups 

Abstract: Many well known representations of the braid groups are parameterized. Using
a little algebraic number theory, I will show how to carefully choose evaluations of the
parameter so that the image is a discrete group, and sometimes lands in a lattice! It is
exciting to see how algebraic techniques give rise to more geometric results.