Queen Mary Representation and Group Theory Study Group

The School of Mathematical Sciences is undertaking a major refurbishment programme that will radically change the design to our building both externally and internally. During the reconstruction, we regret that access to the building will be limited. If this could impact upon your intention to attend a seminar, please contact Bill White on 0207 882 5514 or e-mail w.white aT qmul dOt ac doT uk to discuss your particular requirements.

This term, the Representation and Group Theory Study Group is being held on Tuesdays at 4:20 pm – 5:15 pm (approximately), in Room 203 (of Maths). We will be studying the Cohomology of Finite Groups. Charles Leedham-Green will (still) be giving the said seminars. The seminars recommence on 19th January 2010.

This term we are studying sporadic simple groups and related topics, such as exceptional actions of classical groups.

Last term we studied profinite groups, the Nottingham (Johnson–York) group, and Rachel Camina's Theorem.
Charles Leedham-Green gave the talks.

Other topics we might cover this year include (in no particular order):

Modular Representation Theory.
Computational Representation Theory (MeatAxe, Condensation).
Various useful areas of Group Theory.
Clifford Theory.
Fischer–Clifford matrices.
Cohomology (made comprehensible to group theorists).
Indicator / Classical forms preserved / (more) Schur index.
. . . other suggestions that seem more interesting or appropriate than the above.

Current members of the group include:

This term (or year) we are studying “Reflection Groups and Coxeter Groups” by James E. Humphreys. The speakers so far (for Michaelmas and Lent 2007) have been.

2nd October 2007: John N. Bray.
9th October 2007: Elliot M. Costi.
16th October 2007: Elliot M. Costi.
23rd October 2007: Jonathan M. Ward.
30th October 2007: Jonathan M. Ward.
6th November 2007: Nicholas D. Krempel.
13th November 2007: Nicholas D. Krempel.
20th November 2007: Johanna M. Rämö.
27th November 2007: Johanna M. Rämö.
4th December 2007: Colin D. Reid.
11th December 2007: Colin D. Reid.

Christmas break.

15th January 2008: Adeel Farooq.
22nd January 2008: John N. Bray.
29th January 2008: John N. Bray.
5th February 2008: John N. Bray.
12th February 2008: Elliot M. Costi.
19th February 2008: Nicholas D. Krempel.
26th February 2008: Nicholas D. Krempel.
4th March 2008: Charles R. Leedham-Green.
11th March 2008: Charles R. Leedham-Green.
18th March 2008: Adeel Farooq.
25th March 2008: Easter Tuesday — no seminar.
1st April 2008: Adeel Farooq.
8th April 2008: ‘Easter’ break — no seminar.
15th April 2008: ‘Easter’ break — no seminar.
22nd April 2008: Colin D. Reid.
29th April 2008: Colin D. Reid.
4th May 2008: No seminar.
13th May 2008: John N. Bray: The MeatAxe. I.
20th May 2008: John N. Bray: The MeatAxe. II.
27th May 2008: John N. Bray: The MeatAxe. III.
3rd June 2008: John N. Bray: The MeatAxe. IV—Condensation (theory).
10th June 2008: John N. Bray: The MeatAxe. V—Condensation (practice).

The programme for Lent and Easter 2007 was as follows.

10th January 2007: John N. Bray — Introduction. I.
17th January 2007: John N. Bray — Introduction. II.
23rd January 2007: John N. Bray — The Small Mathieu Groups. I.
30th January 2007: John N. Bray — The Small Mathieu Groups. II.
6th February 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Large Mathieu Groups. I.
13th February 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Large Mathieu Groups. II.
20th February 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Large Mathieu Groups. III: Subgroup Structure.
27th February 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Leech Lattice.
6th March 2007: Robert A. Wilson — Some Leech Lattice Groups.
13th March 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Higman–Sims Group. I.
20th March 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Higman–Sims Group. II.
27th March 2007: Robert A. Wilson — The Janko Group J₁.

Easter break.

1st May 2007: No seminar (owing to Postgraduate Research Day).
8th May 2007: John N. Bray — J₁ revisited.
15th May 2007: John N. Bray — The Hall–Janko group J₂.
22nd May 2007: No seminar.
29th May 2007: John N. Bray — The Icosian Leech Lattice. I.
5th June 2007: John N. Bray — The Icosian Leech Lattice. II.
12th June 2007: John N. Bray — HS: Hoffman–Singleton or Higman–Sims?
19th June 2007: John N. Bray — The isomorphism of the Higman–Sims groups from below?
26th June 2007: Elliot M. Costi — Recognising the symplectic groups in defining characteristic.

Special seminar, joint with the Pure Mathematics Seminar.

24th July 2007: Eamonn A. O’Brien (Auckland) —Two problems on linear groups.
To be held at 4:00pm in Room 103.

The programme for last term was quite simple.

4th October 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. I: Introduction.
11th October 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. II.
18th October 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. III.
25th October 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. IV.
1st November 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. V.
8th November 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. VI.
15th November 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. VII.
22nd November 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. VIII.
29th November 2006: No seminar.
6th December 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. IX.
13th December 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. X.
18th December 2006: Charles R. Leedham-Green — Profinite Groups and the Nottingham Group. XI.

The programme for previous years is available here.

This page is maintained by John Bray. The views and opinions expressed in these pages are mine. The contents of these pages have not been reviewed or approved by Queen Mary, University of London.

Last updated: 12th October 2009.