Topology, Geometry and Group Theory, Informed by Experiment (October 21-25, 2013)

The mathematical focus of this workshop will include all aspects of the topology and geometry of low-dimensional manifolds and geometric group theory. It has been understood for over a century that these subjects are tightly connected, but the connections have become even deeper as the subjects have matured. Recent advances have given dramatic evidence of this. The workshop aims to further extend the interplay between these subjects.

Algorithms have been an important and consistent feature of all of these mathematical areas from the beginning. This includes both questions about the existence of algorithms and the development of practical algorithms for computing natural invariants. More recently, computer experiments and rigorous computer-assisted proofs have had a significant impact. It is natural to expect experimental and computational methods to play an expanding role in the theory of low dimensional spaces. Additional goals of the workshop are to explore the development of new computational tools and implementations of new algorithms, and to provide opportunities for researchers to become more familiar with existing tools and how they can be applied in research.