Conference on Topology and Geometry in Dimension Three: Triangulations, Invariants, and Geometric Structures; June 2010; Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators

Abstract

The Conference on "Topology and Geometry in Dimension Three: Triangulations, Invariants, and Geometric Structures" will be held at Oklahoma State University, June 4-6, 2010. The conference brings together experts and emerging researchers to report on recent results and explore future directions in the study and understanding of 3-manifolds. Geometric structures on 3-manifolds are known to exist but relatively little is known about direct construction of these geometric structures; specifically, constructing the geometry from a description, such as a Heegaard splitting or triangulation of the manifold. This conference will highlight finding direct connections between topological structures on 3-manifolds (triangulations in particular) and geometric structures and expanding the use of these structures to a study of new invariants and applications of hyperbolic geometry to 3-manifolds. Three-dimensional space provides the local space-model for much of science and engineering. Three-manifolds are locally modeled on three-dimensional space and their study and understanding leads to better predictions and understanding in science and more effective applications in engineering and technology. Recent advances in our understanding of three-manifolds has generated new energy making it one of the most exciting and rapidly advancing areas in mathematics; and making this Conference very timely for reporting on emerging results and plotting future directions.