Totally disconnected groups in algebra and geometry. Mathematics research creates and develops new concepts for understanding the world. Group theory is a branch of mathematics based on our innate sense of symmetry. It was invented 200 hundred years ago and has grown into a language for analysing and classifying things ranging from wallpaper patterns to crystals, the fundamental particles of physics and Rubik's cube. The chief investigators have made significant breakthroughs in the study of sym ....Totally disconnected groups in algebra and geometry. Mathematics research creates and develops new concepts for understanding the world. Group theory is a branch of mathematics based on our innate sense of symmetry. It was invented 200 hundred years ago and has grown into a language for analysing and classifying things ranging from wallpaper patterns to crystals, the fundamental particles of physics and Rubik's cube. The chief investigators have made significant breakthroughs in the study of symmetry groups of networks, giving Australia an international lead in this research area. The project will develop the insights gained to make Australia a centre of expertise on these symmetry groups, which have applications to many areas including information and communication technology.Read moreRead less
Singularities and surgery in geometric evolution equations. The analysis of geometric evolution equations is a very active area of mathematical research internationally. The applications of such systems to physical problems such as crystal growth and flame propagation are also of great interest in the broader scientific community. The proposed research addresses questions central to the understanding of curvature flows. The project will yield internationally significant results in theoretical ....Singularities and surgery in geometric evolution equations. The analysis of geometric evolution equations is a very active area of mathematical research internationally. The applications of such systems to physical problems such as crystal growth and flame propagation are also of great interest in the broader scientific community. The proposed research addresses questions central to the understanding of curvature flows. The project will yield internationally significant results in theoretical mathematics, with applications in physics, engineering and image processing. These results will enhance Australia's reputation for high quality theoretical mathematical research with real world applications.Read moreRead less
On the Geometry of Liquid Crystals and Biological Membranes. This project will provide fundamental insights via realistic mathematical models into two areas of technological importance in the development of certain advanced materials involving liquid crystals and biomembranes. The use of liquid crystal devices is ubiquitous in the design of optical display units. Biomembranes are of much current importance, in particular, in connection with sophisticated drug delivery systems. The design of adva ....On the Geometry of Liquid Crystals and Biological Membranes. This project will provide fundamental insights via realistic mathematical models into two areas of technological importance in the development of certain advanced materials involving liquid crystals and biomembranes. The use of liquid crystal devices is ubiquitous in the design of optical display units. Biomembranes are of much current importance, in particular, in connection with sophisticated drug delivery systems. The design of advanced `smart' materials which admit solitonic behaviour is an area at the forefront of materials science and as such is important to the continued development of an advanced technological base within Australia.Read moreRead less
Noncommutative Algebraic Geometry. As algebra moves into the twenty-first century, we see a strong trend towards interactions with geometry. This project is right in the thick of this trend and will keep Australia abreast of some of the most interesting developments in algebra. The project seeks to start up a research group in noncommutative algebraic geometry which will foster a lively intellectual atmosphere. This will involve training postgraduate students, inviting international experts to g ....Noncommutative Algebraic Geometry. As algebra moves into the twenty-first century, we see a strong trend towards interactions with geometry. This project is right in the thick of this trend and will keep Australia abreast of some of the most interesting developments in algebra. The project seeks to start up a research group in noncommutative algebraic geometry which will foster a lively intellectual atmosphere. This will involve training postgraduate students, inviting international experts to give seminar talks and establishing relations with other Australian mathematicians in related areas.Read moreRead less
Invariant theory, cellularity and geometry. Mathematics underpins every aspect of people's interactions with nature (e.g. physics) and with each other (e.g. finance). Its uses range from formulating physical laws in order to understand and predict nature, to analysis of financial concepts and transactions. This project will make fundamental contributions to the mathematics of symmetry. Benefits include enhancement of Australia's position at the very frontier of world class mathematical research, ....Invariant theory, cellularity and geometry. Mathematics underpins every aspect of people's interactions with nature (e.g. physics) and with each other (e.g. finance). Its uses range from formulating physical laws in order to understand and predict nature, to analysis of financial concepts and transactions. This project will make fundamental contributions to the mathematics of symmetry. Benefits include enhancement of Australia's position at the very frontier of world class mathematical research, and a myriad of potential applications to physics, coding theory, information technology, electronic security and experimental design.Read moreRead less
Categorical splitting theorems in algebraic geometry. Algebraic geometry is the study of solutions of polynomial equations.
It is one of the richest fields of Mathematics, and has led to advances in cryptography and other areas of technology. The project aims to apply in this field some recently developed abstract techniques in order to obtain results of a new type. It is also expected that the approach taken will help to simplify and unify the
branches of algebraic geometry considered. Proje ....Categorical splitting theorems in algebraic geometry. Algebraic geometry is the study of solutions of polynomial equations.
It is one of the richest fields of Mathematics, and has led to advances in cryptography and other areas of technology. The project aims to apply in this field some recently developed abstract techniques in order to obtain results of a new type. It is also expected that the approach taken will help to simplify and unify the
branches of algebraic geometry considered. Projects of a theoretical
nature such as this one help to maintain Australia's high standing in
the international scientific community.Read moreRead less
Totally disconnected groups, representations and discrete mathematics. This project involves participation in programs at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton and the nearby Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science that are designed to initiate collaborations across distinct mathematical research areas. These programs will set future research directions and could lead to innovations in computer science. Discoveries I have made in one of the research areas mean ....Totally disconnected groups, representations and discrete mathematics. This project involves participation in programs at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton and the nearby Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science that are designed to initiate collaborations across distinct mathematical research areas. These programs will set future research directions and could lead to innovations in computer science. Discoveries I have made in one of the research areas mean that I may be able to make substantial contributions to these programs. Early involvement in influential programs such as these means that Australia is well placed to take advantage of developments that result and also enhances the reputation of Australian mathematics.Read moreRead less
Braid monoids, presentations and normal forms. Braid groups arise naturally in various areas of mathematics, physics and computer science including knot theory, Lie theory, quantum groups and cryptography. There is a uniform geometric description of braid groups; however this is not the case algebraically. This project aims to find the connections between the algebra, combinatorics and geometry of braid groups in order to obtain a uniform algebraic description. This generalisation will allow adv ....Braid monoids, presentations and normal forms. Braid groups arise naturally in various areas of mathematics, physics and computer science including knot theory, Lie theory, quantum groups and cryptography. There is a uniform geometric description of braid groups; however this is not the case algebraically. This project aims to find the connections between the algebra, combinatorics and geometry of braid groups in order to obtain a uniform algebraic description. This generalisation will allow advances in the related areas of mathematics and physics. In addition to theoretical results, new algorithms for calculating in braid groups will be given, which can then be implemented computationally.
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Representation theory of groups and applications to geometry and number theory. Representation theory is at the center of the mathematical study of symmetry, which we constantly use to understand the world. Combine with geometry this theory produces spectacular results in number theory. This project aims to study p-adic phenomena in these theories. Its
main outcomes will be p-adic automorphic forms and local functoriality.
Noncommutative geometry of groups acting on buildings. Consider a tiling of the plane by triangles, where each triangle is labeled by an element of a finite alphabet. Suppose that only certain pairs of labels are allowed to be adjacent to each other in each direction. The tiled planes can be pasted together to form the abstract mathematical object known as a building. This building and its boundary, give rise to new families of C*-algebras and groups. The algebras have a rich structure which it ....Noncommutative geometry of groups acting on buildings. Consider a tiling of the plane by triangles, where each triangle is labeled by an element of a finite alphabet. Suppose that only certain pairs of labels are allowed to be adjacent to each other in each direction. The tiled planes can be pasted together to form the abstract mathematical object known as a building. This building and its boundary, give rise to new families of C*-algebras and groups. The algebras have a rich structure which it is proposed to investigate and link with geometric properties of the groups. New insights into geometry, dynamics and algebra are expected.Read moreRead less