Jr. Colloquium
Speaker: Morwen Thistlethwaite
Title: Classification and symmetries of knots
Abstract: For the topologist, a (classical) knot is a smooth simple closed curve in 3-dimensional space. Two knots are equivalent if one can continuously deform one to the other: stretching and bending are allowed but cutting is prohibited. We can picture a knot as a length of rope with its ends glued together, and with a small amount of practice we can draw pictures of knots, seemingly making the subject approachable. However, knot theory is teeming with problems that are easy to ask and very hard to solve. Even the problem of deciding whether two given knots are equivalent can be tricky, and has caught people out over the years. A very useful approach is to transform a knot theoretical problem into a (hopefully) easier problem in algebra. Some of the simpler algebraic invariants will be presented.
Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 3:40pm to 4:40pm
Ayres Hall, 405
1403 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996
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Mat Langford
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