Events - 2023

Title: Distance-Regular and Distance-Biregular Graphs

Abstract: For a given diameter d and valency k, what is the maximum number of vertices a k-regular graph of diameter d can have, and what graphs meet that bound? Although there is a straightforward counting argument to bound the number of vertices using the structural information, the problem of characterizing the graphs that meet the bound turns out to be a problem in algebraic graph theory, and helps gives rise to the notion of distance-regular graphs.

Title: On the complexity of quantum partition functions

Abstract: Quantum complexity theory has been intertwined with the study of quantum many-body systems ever since Kitaev's insight that computing their ground energies is an intractable quantum constraint satisfaction problem that is complete for a quantum generalization of NP.

Title: Quasisymmetric varieties, excedances, and bases for the Temperley--Lieb algebra

Abstract:  This talk is about finding a quasisymmetric variety (QSV): a subset of permutations which (i) is a basis for the Temperley--Lieb algebra TL_n(2), and (ii) has a vanishing ideal (as points in n-space) that behaves similarly to the ideal generated by quasisymmetric polynomials.   While this problem is primarily motivated by classical (co-)invariant theory and generalizations thereof, the course of our investigation uncovered a number of remarkable combinatorial properties related to our QSV, and I will survey these as well. 

Title: Steiner Cut Dominants

Abstract: For a subset of terminals T of the nodes of a graph G a cut in G is called a T-Steiner cut if it subdivides T into two non-empty sets. The Steiner cut dominant of G is the Minkowski sum of the convex hull of the incidence vectors of T-Steiner cuts in G and the nonnegative orthant.

Title: Taking limits in Go-diagrams

Title: Matroids without cliques

Abstract: The class of graphs that omit some fixed complete graph as a minor is very well-studied; in particular, the densest graphs in the class are known. The analogous question for matroids is just as well-motivated, but seems harder to answer. I will discuss some recent progress in this area, which reduces a bound from doubly exponential to singly exponential. This is joint work with Sergey Norin and Fernanda Rivera Omana.

Title: Distance-regular graphs with primitive automorphism groups

Title: Critical Points at Infinity for Hyperplanes of Directions

Abstract: Analytic combinatorics in several variables (ACSV) analyzes the asymptotic growth of series coefficients of multivariate rational functions G/H in an exponent direction r. The poly-torus of integration T that arises from the multivariate Cauchy Integral Formula is deformed away from the origin into cycles around critical points of a “height function" h on V = V(H).

Title:Periodicity of bipartite walks on certain graphs and its connections to periodicity of Grover's walk

Title: Geometry of Gradient Flows for Analytic Combinatorics

Title: Extended Formulations, Part II

Title: Hitting all maximum stable sets in P5-free graphs