Several well-known open questions (such as: are all groups sofic or hyperlinear?) have a common form: can all groups be approximated by asymptotic homomorphisms into the symmetric groups Sym(n) (in the sofic case) or the unitary groups U(n) (in the hyperlinear case)?
In the case of U(n), the question can be asked with respect to different metrics andnorms. We answer, for the first time, one of these versions, showing that there exist fintely presented groups which arenot approximated by U(n) with respect to the Frobenius (=L_2) norm.

I will give the structure of the hypoelliptic Laplacian. I will also describe a natural construction of the hypoelliptic Laplacian as a nonstandard Hodge Laplacian, and explain its connections with dynamical systems and an equation by Langevin.

Given a family of complex algebraic varieties parameterized by a base variety B there is an associated period mapping, which (at least locally) goes from B to a certain flag variety. However, although both the source and target are algebraic varieties,
this period map is of a transcendental nature.
I will explain joint work with Brian Lawrence which shows how the transcendence of the period mapping

This talk will investigate a certain class of continuous time Markov processes using machinery from algebraic topology. To each such process, we will associate a homological observable, the average current, which is a measurement of the net flow of probability of the system. We show that the average current quantizes in the low temperature limit. We also explain how the quantized version admits a topological description.

Monodromy of linear differential and difference equations is a very old and classical object, which may be seen as a far-reaching generalization of the exponential map of a Lie group. While general properties of this map may studied abstractly, for certain very special equations of interest in enumerative geometry, representation theory, and also mathematical physics, it is possible to describe the monodromy "explicitly", in certain geometric and algebraic terms. I will explain one such recent set of ideas, following joint work with M. Aganagic and R. Bezrukavnikov.

Since the 1970's, Physicists and Mathematicians who study random matrices in the standard models of GUE or GOE, are aware of intriguing connections between integrals of such random matrices and enumeration of graphs on surfaces. We establish a new aspect of this theory: for random matrices sampled from the group U(n) of Unitary matrices. The group structure of these matrices allows us to go further and find surprising algebraic quantities hidden in the values of these integrals. The talk will be aimed at graduate students, and all notions will be explained.

Mirror symmetry is a far reaching duality relating symplectic geometry on a given manifold to complex geometry on a completely different manifold - its mirror. Toric Calabi Yau manifolds are a large family of examples which which have served as a testing ground for numerous ideas in the study of mirror symmetry. I will prove homological mirror symmetry when the symplectic side is a toric Calabi-Yau 3-fold. I will aim to explain geometrically why the mirror of a toric Calabi Yau takes the particular form it does.

One of the mainstream and modern tools in the study of non abelian groups are quasi-morphisms. These are functions from a group to the reals which satisfy homomorphism condition up to a bounded error. Nowadays they are used in many fields of mathematics. For instance, they are related to bounded cohomology, stable commutator length, metrics on diffeomorphism groups, displacement of sets in symplectic topology, dynamics, knot theory, orderability, and the study of mapping class groups and of concordance group of knots.

One of the mainstream and modern tools in the study of non abelian groups are quasi-morphisms. These are functions from a group to the reals which satisfy homomorphism condition up to a bounded error. Nowadays they are used in many fields of mathematics. For instance, they are related to bounded cohomology, stable commutator length, metrics on diffeomorphism groups, displacement of sets in symplectic topology, dynamics, knot theory, orderability, and the study of mapping class groups and of concordance group of knots.

I will consider classical 2D traveling water waves with vorticity. By
means of local and global bifurcation theory using topological degree,
we can prove that there exist many such waves. They are exact smooth
solutions of the Euler equations with the physical boundary conditions.
Some of the waves are quite tall and steep and some are overhanging.
There are periodic ones and solitary ones. I will exhibit some
numerical computations of such waves. New analytical results will be
presented on waves with favorable vorticity.

Title: Avatars of small cancellation
Abstract:
In general, given a finite presentation of a group, it is very difficult (in fact algorithmically impossible) to understand the group it defines. Small cancellation theory was developped as a combinatorial condition on a presentation that allows one to understand the group it represents. This very flexible construction has many applications to construct examples of groups with specific features.