Noel Brady (Oklahoma University)

Title: Negatively curved groups

Abstract: One of the main tools in geometric group theory is the study of spaces, in particular geodesic spaces and manifolds, such that the groups act upon. This session will be dedicated to the study of such spaces. First we will study Dehn functions and higher order Dehn functions; in particular, exponents for first and second order Dehn functions. We will give results on the distribution of exponents for the Dehn functions in the real line. We will study negatively curved groups, in particular, CAT(0) groups. Finally, we will dedicate some time to cubings and cubical complexes.