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Groups, Computing, Designs

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International Conference on Design Theory and Applications

The 3rd de Brún Workshop: Algebra, Algorithms, Applications

The 3rd de Brún Workshop was held 30 November – 10 December, 2009
at National University of Ireland, Galway.

The workshop gathered more than 40 representatives from several countries: France (2 universities), Germany (2 universities), Hungary, the Netherlands (2 universities), New Zealand, Russia, Spain, the UK (6 universities), USA (4 universities), and Ireland (UCC, UCD, NUIG, NUIM). In particular leading international centres of research in computational algebra such as DIAMANT and CIRCA were represented. The workshop combined an international conference focussed on cutting-edge research in computational group theory and its applications, with a series of related minicourses intended for PhD students and early stage researchers. This format allowed the forging of bridges between theoretical research in computational algebra and its practical applications, as well as bridges between senior mathematicians and the next generation of researchers. The Workshop provided a forum for `work in groups' on existing international research projects by participants, as well as the initiation of new joint projects.

The minicourses attracted postgraduate students and early stage researchers from various EU and Irish universities. One theme was quantum computing, with an introductory course delivered by Richard Jozsa, and a more advanced course by Gabor Ivanyos dealing with, amongst other things, the interface of quantum computing and computational group theory. Research talks were also given by Michel Planat (quantum computing, crystallographic groups and
applications to particle physics) and Carlo di Franco (quantum informatics). A minicourse on Lattices and Codes, delivered by Gabriele Nebe, ranged from an introduction to the area (lattices and modular forms and spherical designs, codes) to active current research areas (codes and invariant theory). A comprehensive introduction to crystallographic groups and its applications was
provided by Bernd Souvignier. This included classification results and methods for structural investigation of crystallographic groups. The final lecture demonstrated intersections of crystallography and the decorative arts.
More details..

Public Lecture by Professor Efim Zelmanov

Professor Efim Zelmanov (member of the Advisory Board of the de Brún Centre) gave a public lecture titled 'Asymptotic properties of finite groups and finite dimensional algebras' on 14 October 2009 at NUI Galway. More details..

Professor Zelmanov is one of the greatest algebraists of modern times. In 1994 he was awarded the Fields Medal (commonly known as the Nobel Prize for mathematicians) for his solution of the Restricted Burnside Problem - a fundamental algebraic conjecture that many leading mathematicians worked on throughout the 20th century.

Invited Lecture by Professor George Havas

Professor George Havas (Centre for Discrete Mathematics and Computing, The University of Queensland, Australia) is one of the pioneers of modern computational group theory. He has published extensively on abstract algebraic algorithms (including coset enumeration, and computing canonical forms of matrices), algorithm analysis, algorithms and applications in finite fields, combinatorial computation, and distributed and parallel algorithms.

On May 27, 2010 he delivered a special lecture 'On Coxeter's families of group presentations.' Slides of the talk are available here.

The 5th de brún Workshop: Groups, Combinatorics, Computing

The 5th de Brun Workshop was held at NUI Galway, 11 April - 16 April, 2011. It was organized by Dr A. Detinko (NUIG), Dr D. Flannery (NUIG), and Prof E. O'Brien  (University of Auckland, New Zealand).

The primary aim of the Workshop was to bring together experts in group theory and combinatorics, to discuss computational and algorithmic aspects that have recently emerged at the interface of both subjects. There were 45 participants from Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Russia, UK, USA,
as well as various Irish universities.

The program of the workshop comprised three short lecture courses by leading experts, as well as contributed research talks. The lecture courses were delivered by

• Prof. Martin Liebeck (Imperial College London)
• Prof. Cheryl Praeger (University of Western Australia),
• Prof. Leonard Soicher (Queen Mary University of London)

Talks were given both by specialists in the area and by early stage researchers including PhD students.

Further information is available here.

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