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• Coupled Canonical Metrics in Kähler Geometry

  Speaker: Jakob Hultgren (University of Maryland) -
  

  When: Mon, September 9, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: A central theme in complex geometry is to study various types of canonical metrics, for example Kaehler-Einstein metrics and cscK metrics. Much of the interest in these come from connections to notions of algebro-geometric stability. I will talk about a new type of canonical objects introduced by Witt Nystroem and myself. These are k-tuples of Kaehler metrics that satisfy certain coupled Kaehler-Einstein equations. I will explain some basic existence and uniqueness results and indicate relations to algebraic geometry.
  
• Non commutative cluster coordinates for Higher Teichmüller Spaces

  Speaker: Daniele Alessandrini (Columbia University) -
  

  When: Mon, October 7, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: Fock-Goncharov found a beautiful structure of cluster
  variety on the decorated Hitchin components of punctured surfaces,
  generalizing Penner's decorated Teichmueller Theory. This is an
  algebraic theory based on the notion of positivity.
  Hitchin components are an example of Higher Teichmueller Spaces, and
  the spaces of Maximal Representations are another example. In this
  latter case, we found new coordinates on these Higher Teichmueller
  Spaces that give them a structure of non-commutative cluster
  varieties, in the sense defined by Berenstein-Rethak. This is joint
  work with Guichard, Rogozinnikov and Wienhard.
  
• Singularities of Hermitian-Yang-Mills connections

  Speaker: Xuemiao Chen (University of Maryland) -
  

  When: Mon, October 21, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: The Donaldson-Uhlenbeck-Yau theorem confirms the existence of a Hermitian-Yang-Mills connection on a slope stable holomorphic vector bundle over a Kahler manifold. Later, it is generalized by Bando and Siu to the case of stable reflexive sheaves by using singular HYM connections with natural curvature bound. In this talk, I will explain how to understand the infinitesimal behavior of such a singular Hermitian-Yang-Mills connection near its singularities. The talk is based on joint work with Song Sun.
  
• A D'Ambra Theorem in conformal Lorentzian geometry

  Speaker: Karin Melnick (University of Maryland) -
  

  When: Mon, October 28, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: D'Ambra proved in 1988 that the isometry group of a compact, simply connected, real-analytic Lorentzian manifold must be compact. I will discuss my recent theorem that the conformal group of such a manifold must also be compact, and how it relates to the Lorentzian Lichnerowicz Conjecture.
  
• Curvature of the Weil-Petersson metric for the moduli space of Riemann surfaces

  Speaker: Scott Wolpert (University of Maryland) -
  

  When: Mon, November 11, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: The Weil-Petersson metric for the moduli space or Riemann surfaces is Kaehler, incomplete with negative sectional curvature. The metric is a tool for understanding the geometry of the moduli space. Applications include a proof that the compactified moduli space is projective, a solution of the Nielsen Realization Problem and a CAT(0) geometry. The behavior of the sectional curvature is an ingredient in the Burns-Masur-Wilkinson proof that the geodesic flow is ergodic. A non trivial upper bound is required to study the mixing rate of the geodesic flow. I will present the first non trivial upper bound for the sectional curvature and discuss the optimal expected bound.
  
• Moduli spaces, uniformization and singularities

  Speaker: Xuwen Zhu (University of California, Berkeley) -
  

  When: Mon, December 9, 2019 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: The classical uniformization theorem transforms the study of moduli spaces of marked Riemann surfaces into the study of constant curvature metrics with singularities. I will give a survey on constant curvature metrics with cusp and conical singularities, including works joint with Richard Melrose, Rafe Mazzeo and Bin Xu, where new analytic tools have been developed to understand the uniformization problem. "Resolution of singularities" is the key idea in the analysis, which can be seen as an analogue of the Deligne--Mumford compactification of Riemann moduli spaces.
  
• Ordering actions on metric spaces

  Speaker: Carolyn Abbott (Columbia University) -
  

  When: Fri, December 13, 2019 - 11:00am
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  

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  Abstract: Geometric group theory is the study of groups through their (isometric) actions on metric spaces. Given a finitely generated group, it admits many different actions on different metric spaces, and they are not all equally useful for studying the algebra of the group. For example, every group acts isometrically on a point, but this action provides no information about the group. In this talk, I will describe how to put a partial order on the set of isometric actions of a given group on metric spaces that encodes how much information about the group the action provides, turning this set of actions into a poset. I will focus on actions on metric spaces which are negatively curved, that is, metric spaces whose geometry is similar to that of the hyperbolic plane or a tree. After adding this restriction on the geometry of the space (as well as a reasonable restriction on the action), I will give several results about the structure of this poset for the class of acylindrically hyperbolic groups. This is a large and diverse collection of groups including infinite mapping class groups, non-elementary hyperbolic and relatively hyperbolic groups, most fundamental groups of 3--manifolds, and the Cremona group, among many others.
  
• Coordinates for real projective structures using ideal triangulations.

  Speaker: Alex Casella (Florida State University) -
  

  When: Mon, February 3, 2020 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan Hall 3206
  
• TBA

  Speaker: Bill Goldman (University of Maryland) -
  

  When: Mon, February 10, 2020 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan 3206
  

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  Abstract:
  
• The heights theorem for infinite Riemann surfaces

  Speaker: Dragomir Saric (City University of New York) -
  

  When: Mon, February 17, 2020 - 3:00pm
  Where: Kirwan 3206
  

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  Abstract: