UBC Mathematics Colloquium
The outer automorphism group of a free group and its relatives
Mon., Dec. 7, 2009, 4:00pm, MATX 1100
Abstract:
The outer automorphism group of a free group of finite rank
shares many properties with linear groups and mapping class groups of
surfaces. However the techniques for studying these three families of
groups are generally quite different; problems which are difficult for
one class may be easier and more intuitive for another. I will describe
some algebraic, topological, and dynamical methods for studying such
problems, thereby highlighting some of the interesting features which
distinguish these groups.