Alex Furman
(University of Illinois at Chicago)
"An introduction to Measurable Group Theory"
Abstract:
In this talk we shall discuss rigidity aspects of infinite discrete groups, which arise naturally in Geometry (as fundamental groups of manifolds), in Algebraic groups (as lattices) and, more generally, as symmetries of various mathematical objects.Starting from the by now classical rigidity results of Mostow, Margulis, Zimmer, we shall turn to the recently active area of Measurable Group Theory. It parallels in some way Geometric Group Theory, but is more closely related to Ergodic Theory and has implications in other areas such as von Neumann algebras and Descriptive Set Theory (Logic).
This will be a survey talk for non-specialists.