Event
Conference “Geometry in Non-positive Curvature and Kähler Groups” in honor of Thomas Delzant
Depending on the evolution of the health situation and related restrictions, two options are currently planned at this time for the conference “Geometry in Non-positive Curvature and Kähler Groups”:
• a fully online conference;
• a hybrid conference: both at the Institute and online.
Register to get the latest information.
An international conference at IHES
IHES is slowly getting back to its conference rhythm and will host the conference “Geometry in Non-positive Curvature and Kähler Groups”. Organized by Rémi Coulon (University of Rennes 1), François Dahmani (University of Grenoble-Alpes) and Alexandre Martin (Heriot-Watt University), it will be held from 30 August to 1 September 2021.
During three days, several speakers will discuss group geometry, a field at the interface between algebra, geometry, and topology. They will review recent developments in the group geometry with hyperbolic features, Kähler geometry, and their interactions.
This event will also be the occasion to celebrate Thomas Delzant’s (University of Strasbourg) 60th birthday , a researcher recognized for his contributions to these fields which have had a great influence on the development of geometric group theory.
To apply, get more information about the schedule, and be informed of the latest actions, click here.
Confirmed speakers:
– Goulnara Arzhantseva (University of Vienna),
– Martin Bridson (University of Oxford),
– Serge Cantat (University of Rennes 1),
– Cornelia Drutu (University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille),
– Mikhail Gromov (IHES),
– Vincent Guirardel (University of Rennes 1),
– Panagiotis Papasoglu (University of Oxford),
– Pierre Py (University of Strasbourg),
– Zlil Sela (Einstein Institute of Mathematics).
Thomas Delzant, a geometric group theory specialist!
After working on symplectic geometry including the study of Hamilton actions, Thomas Delzant has dedicated his work to group geometry. After Misha Gromov‘s seminal treatise on hyperbolic groups in 1987, Thomas Delzant played a key role in the development and popularisation of this emerging field back then. In particular, his lecture notes in collaboration with Michel Coornaert and Athanase Papadopoulos fostered the emergence of a generation of group geometers in France and abroad.
Thomas Delzant’s research in group geometry is varied, but some central topics can be identified, in particular the study of geometries with negative or zero curvature. His work on the structure of hyperbolic groups, as well as his collaboration with Misha Gromov on groups with small simplification, have led to a better understanding of free Burnside groups. His recent work focuses on the structure of Kählerian groups, a still mysterious class of groups at the intersection of complex geometry and symplectic geometry: the central problem is to determine strong constraints on groups of Kählerian varieties. Thomas Delzant uses many tools from group geometry (hyperbolic geometry, cubic CAT(0), etc.) to study these groups. His collaborations with Misha Gromov and Pierre Py have led to a better understanding of cubulable Kähler groups and the image of these groups in surface groups.
