Snapshots in Group Theory
March 24, 2025 at 11:00, Senate Room, Eshkol Tower, University of Haifa
The cubical route to understanding groups
Abstract: Cube complexes have come to play an increasingly central role within geometric group theory, as their connection to right-angled Artin groups provides a powerful combinatorial bridge between geometry and algebra. This talk will introduce nonpositively curved cube complexes, and then describe the developments that culminated in the resolution of the virtual Haken conjecture for 3-manifolds, and simultaneously dramatically extended our understanding of many infinite groups.
March 25, 2025 at 14:00, Seminar Room 614, Science and Education Building, University of Haifa
A survey on the Kervaire-Laudenbach conjecture
Abstract: This old conjecture asserts that one cannot kill a group by adding one generator and one additional relation. Progress on open problems is often reflected by repeatedly enhancing and strengthening a specific line of attack. Here, however, the progress has instead been reflected by a genuine diversity of ideas and approaches. I will give a survey of the known results and methods proving special cases of this conjecture.
March 26, 2025 at 11:00, Seminar Room 614, Science and Education Building, University of Haifa
Abstract: A group is “coherent” if every finitely generated subgroup is finitely presented.
I will give a survey about coherent groups leading up to exciting recent breakthroughs in the topic.
There will be some drinks and snacks available before and after each talk. If you need a parking/entry permit, please email me at ben-bassat@math.haifa.ac.il