NIU Department of Mathematical Sciences
This Week's Colloquium and Seminars
April 23-April 27, 2012
Math Department Colloquium
Friday, April 27, 4:00-5:00 p.m. in DU 348
Speaker: Peter Webb, Univ. of Minnesota
Title: Doing Group Theory With Categories
Abstract: Many of the constructions which we do in group theory can be done in a more general context: that of categories. There is a cohomology theory of categories with interpretations of low-dimensional cohomology analogous to what happens for groups. There is a Gruenberg resolution, a Burnside ring, we can define Mackey functors on categories, there are extensions of categories: the list goes on. Historically many of these structures have been used to understand groups better, and this remains a motivation for studying the more recent generalizations. I will give an overview of some of the range of things that can done.
Speaker: Peter Webb, Univ. of Minnesota
Title: Doing Group Theory With Categories
Abstract: Many of the constructions which we do in group theory can be done in a more general context: that of categories. There is a cohomology theory of categories with interpretations of low-dimensional cohomology analogous to what happens for groups. There is a Gruenberg resolution, a Burnside ring, we can define Mackey functors on categories, there are extensions of categories: the list goes on. Historically many of these structures have been used to understand groups better, and this remains a motivation for studying the more recent generalizations. I will give an overview of some of the range of things that can done.
Coffee and refreshments at 3:30 in Watson 322