Triangulations: linking geometry and topology with combinatorics. Triangulations are the method of choice to represent geometric objects given by a finite sample of points. Prominent examples include the pictures produced by the finite element method, polytopes in optimisation, or surfaces in computer graphics.
Knowledge about the triangulations of an object and how they relate to each other is essential for these applications. Seemingly canonical and straightforward methods perform well - or n ....Triangulations: linking geometry and topology with combinatorics. Triangulations are the method of choice to represent geometric objects given by a finite sample of points. Prominent examples include the pictures produced by the finite element method, polytopes in optimisation, or surfaces in computer graphics.
Knowledge about the triangulations of an object and how they relate to each other is essential for these applications. Seemingly canonical and straightforward methods perform well - or not at all, depending on intricate and highly involved mathematical properties.
In this project we combine geometric and topological viewpoints to tackle high-profile questions about triangulations. This will unlock the full potential of combinatorial methods and practical algorithms in applications.Read moreRead less
Moduli spaces of geometric structures. One of the most spectacular recent advances in mathematics was Perelman's resolution of Thurston's geometrisation program for three-dimensional spaces. This makes it very important to understand sets of geometric structures on such spaces, called moduli spaces. The challenge of this project is to develop practical methods to compute moduli spaces, understand their global properties, and use them to define new invariants giving insights about shape, geometry ....Moduli spaces of geometric structures. One of the most spectacular recent advances in mathematics was Perelman's resolution of Thurston's geometrisation program for three-dimensional spaces. This makes it very important to understand sets of geometric structures on such spaces, called moduli spaces. The challenge of this project is to develop practical methods to compute moduli spaces, understand their global properties, and use them to define new invariants giving insights about shape, geometry and algebra of a space. This is a key problem as moduli spaces describe whether a space is rigid or can be deformed. They are a central object in several fields of mathematics, including geometry and topology, gauge theory, dynamical systems, mathematical physics and invariant theory.Read moreRead less
Invariants, geometric and discrete structures on manifolds. This project aims to develop practical methods for finding geometric and discrete structures on manifolds in both low and high dimensions and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-D spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants, string theory) and such spaces. In this project, the ....Invariants, geometric and discrete structures on manifolds. This project aims to develop practical methods for finding geometric and discrete structures on manifolds in both low and high dimensions and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-D spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants, string theory) and such spaces. In this project, the first aim is to construct structures with good geometric properties on 3- and 4-manifolds, using triangulations. The second aim is to study combinatorial decompositions of n-manifolds, using our new technique of multisections and also searching for polyhedral metrics of non-positive curvature. The third aim is to connect quantum invariants and geometric structures, again using triangulations.Read moreRead less
Scale-Multiplicative Semigroups and Geometry. Symmetry is treated mathematically through the algebraic concept of a group. Conversely, geometric representations play a crucial role in group theory. Many classes of groups, such as the connected groups that arise in physics, have useful geometric representations, but such a representation is lacking in the case of general disconnected groups. Certain disconnected groups, closely related in algebraic terms to the connected ones, do have a geometric ....Scale-Multiplicative Semigroups and Geometry. Symmetry is treated mathematically through the algebraic concept of a group. Conversely, geometric representations play a crucial role in group theory. Many classes of groups, such as the connected groups that arise in physics, have useful geometric representations, but such a representation is lacking in the case of general disconnected groups. Certain disconnected groups, closely related in algebraic terms to the connected ones, do have a geometric representation called a 'building'. This project aims to address the lack of a representation for general disconnected groups by extending the notion of a building to create combinatorial structures on which these groups act as symmetries.Read moreRead less
Triangulations in dimensions 3 and 4: discrete and geometric structures. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-dimensional spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants) and such spaces. This project aims at practical methods for finding geometric structures and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces.
Interactions between geometric and topological structures. This project aims to develop the necessary tools for a geometric imagination in higher dimensions and to bridge the gap between low and high dimensions. Topology is the mathematical study of the shape of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Moduli space encodes the different ways in which a geometry can be assigned to a space. Expected outcomes of the project include construction ....Interactions between geometric and topological structures. This project aims to develop the necessary tools for a geometric imagination in higher dimensions and to bridge the gap between low and high dimensions. Topology is the mathematical study of the shape of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Moduli space encodes the different ways in which a geometry can be assigned to a space. Expected outcomes of the project include construction of computable invariants, solution of realisation problems and understanding degeneration of geometries.Read moreRead less
Enriched higher category theory. At the beginning of 21st century it became clear that further progress in mathematics and physics required a development of a new powerful language, which received the name Higher Category Theory. This project is devoted to the development of this new exciting theory.
Comprehensive Study of Kahler-Ricci Flows. The intended outcome of the project is to reveal the deep relation between geometry and topology of underlying spaces. Ricci flow has attracted major attention in pure mathematics over the past 30 years, including ground-breaking contributions by Perelman on Ricci flow regarding the famous Poincare and Thurston's Geometrisation Conjectures. The project focuses on the complex version of Ricci flow: Kahler-Ricci flow. The project plans to explore the Kahl ....Comprehensive Study of Kahler-Ricci Flows. The intended outcome of the project is to reveal the deep relation between geometry and topology of underlying spaces. Ricci flow has attracted major attention in pure mathematics over the past 30 years, including ground-breaking contributions by Perelman on Ricci flow regarding the famous Poincare and Thurston's Geometrisation Conjectures. The project focuses on the complex version of Ricci flow: Kahler-Ricci flow. The project plans to explore the Kahler-Ricci flow in the closed and complete non-compact settings and the corresponding versions of Geometric Minimal Model Program; and the Kahler-Ricci flow in the Fano manifold setting and stability conditions.Read moreRead less
Lattices in locally compact groups. The project will investigate fundamental questions about lattices in a variety of locally compact groups, leading to a deeper understanding of basic properties, in both new settings and old. The project will develop new tools, provide new applications, link diverse areas of mathematics and strengthen international connections.
Trisections, triangulations and the complexity of manifolds. This project aims at practical representations of 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional spaces as needed in applications. Topology is the mathematical study of the shapes of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Special combinatorial structures, such as minimal triangulations, are often closely connected to geometric structures or topological properties. This project aims to construct ....Trisections, triangulations and the complexity of manifolds. This project aims at practical representations of 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional spaces as needed in applications. Topology is the mathematical study of the shapes of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Special combinatorial structures, such as minimal triangulations, are often closely connected to geometric structures or topological properties. This project aims to construct computable invariants, connectivity results for triangulations, and algorithms to recognise fundamental topological properties and structures such as trisections and bundles.Read moreRead less