Columbia Mathematics Department Colloquium

 

Genus-minimizing surfaces in three and four dimensions

by

Jacob Rasmussen

Cambridge University and the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics

 

Abstract:

Given a manifold M and a homology class x in H₂(M), what is the minimal genus of an embedded surface representing x? I'll discuss what we know about this question in dimensions 3 and 4, and describe applications to topics such as knots with lens space surgeries and the construction of an exotic smooth R⁴.

 

Wedensday, February 16th, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Mathematics 520
Tea will be served at 4:30 p.m.