SMRI ’What is ...?’ Seminar: Halacheva -- What is a cactus group?

**Please note this seminar is in-person only 

SMRI ’What is ...?’ Seminar 
’What is a cactus group?’ 
Iva Halacheva (Northeastern University) 

Thursday 3 August, 1:00-2:00pm (AEST) 
Carslaw 375 (in-person only) 

Abstract: The braid group is a classical algebraic object with an intuitively natural
presentation via stacking pictures of braided strands.  One point of view which makes
them interesting to topologists is the interpretation of braid groups as the fundamental
groups of certain configuration spaces.  Braid groups also play a central role in
representation theory through the Yang-Baxter equation, where they capture the
symmetries of quantum group representations.  The cactus group is a close relative of
the braid group whose properties are yet to be fully explored.  Cactus groups can also
be viewed as the fundamental groups of interesting topological spaces and have recently
been linked to combinatorial structures associated with quantum groups.  I will describe
the construction of the cactus group and outline some of the settings in which it
appears.  ---- 

Please join us after the seminar for SMRI afternoon tea, 2:00-2:45pm every Thursday on
the SMRI Terrace (accessed through A14-04-L4.36) 

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