Algebra Seminar | A Bridge between low dimensional topology and Algebra via Quandles, Oct. 27

The Mathematics Department Algebra Seminar features Mohamed Elhamdadi for its next two meetings, discussing "A Bridge between low dimensional topology and Algebra via Quandles" on Oct. 27 ands Nov. 3, at 3 p.m. via Zoom.

Elhamdadi is professor of mathematics at the University of South Florida,

Zoom information:

• https://us06web.zoom.us/j/97235712165?pwd=OHFSL2lXVnVUWU9pdUxRQlhkRG1oUT09
• Meeting ID: 972 3571 2165Mohamed Elhamdadi
• Passcode: 8nuxSQ

Abstract : In the first talk we will explain the motivation for Quandles which are algebraic structures whose axioms come from Reidemeister moves in knot theory.  We will show how some problems in knot theory become algebra problems about quandles.

In the second talk, we will introduce quandle rings by analogy with group rings, discuss how to characterize idempotents in some quandle rings, present some open problems, including an analogue of Kaplansky’s zero-divisor conjecture for quandles.  If time allows, we will show that Idempotents in a quandle ring give better invariants than those coming from the original quandle