Series: Mathematics Colloquium

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2003

Time: 4:30 - 5:30 PM

Place: 102 McAllister Building

Host: Ping Xu

Refreshments: 4:00 - 4:30 PM, in 212 McAllister

Speaker: Christopher Woodward, Rutgers

Title: Quantum Groups and Non-Euclidean Geometry

Abstract:

This is joint work with Y. Taylor, Rutgers New Brunswick.  I will talk
about the relationship between non-Euclidean geometry (deformation of
Euclidean geometry discovered in the 1800s) and representation theory
of quantum groups (deformation of representation theory of Lie
algebras discovered in the 1900s).  In particular I will describe the
6j symbols for quantum sl(2) which arise in link and 3-manifold
invariants, and their relationship with spherical and hyperbolic
tetrahedra; this is a generalization of a recent result of J. Roberts.