Special Seminar by Prof. Sam Nelson

Title: Quandles, Biquandles and Biquandle Brackets

Speaker: Prof. Sam Nelson
Department of Department Mathematical Sciences,Claremont McKenna College, California, USA

Date: Fri, 8 March 2024

Time: 16:00-17:00 PM

Room: M301

Abstract:

Knot invariants can be defined using algebraic structures whose axioms encode the Reidemeister moves via sets of homomorphisms known as homsets. The homset invariant can be further enhanced with additional structure to obtain stronger invariants by adapting other knot invariants to the case of homset elements interpreted as colored knot diagrams. In this talk we will see some recent examples of these invariants known as Biquandle Brackets, a family of invariants which include classical skein invariants like the Alexander-Conway and Jones-Kauffman polynomials as well as quandle and biquandle 2-cocycle invariants and more.