BİLKENT
ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGY LEARNING SEMINAR

"Wild World of 4-Manifolds"

By

Prof. Dr. Selman Akbulut

Michigan State University,

Department of Mathematics

Abstract: Four dimensional smooth
manifolds (generalized Euclidean spaces) display very strange behavior than
manifolds in any other dimensions. Four is also the dimension of the
space-time, which physicist think as a part of a
bigger 11-dimensional universe. In this talk, I will review some recent
developments of 4-manifolds, in particular discuss corks and plugs, which are
small fundamental pieces floating in smooth 4-manifolds determining their
smooth structure (twisting along them changes smooth structure), and talk about
exotic structures on complex Stein surfaces.

Date-Time   :
December 5, 2012 - at: 15:40

Place
: SBZ-14

Host
: Ergün Yalçın and Ebru Erbay

Tea and cookies will be served
after the seminar.  All interested are cordially invited.