Speaker: Prof. Stefan Friedl (Regensburg) http://www.uni-regensburg.de/Fakultaeten/nat_Fak_I/friedl/ Time: Tuesday, April 15, 12NOON--1PM. Room: Carslaw 535A. Lunch: seminar lunch is right after the talk at Law Annex Cafe. ---------------------------------------------- Title: Decision Problems for Fundamental Groups of 3-manifolds. Abstract: the word problem for a group asks for an algorithm which can determine whether or not a given element in a group is trivial. Similarly the membership problem asks for an algorithm which can determine whether or not a given element lies in a given subgroup. We will discuss these two problems for the fundamental groups of 3-manifolds. No previous knowledge of 3-manifold topology is required. ---------------------------------------------- Seminar website: http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/SemConf/Geometry/