UG Seminar - Drawing and Colouring: A fun introduction to knot theory, Abigail Linton (Southampton) Seminar

Event details

Full of pictures, props, and even the odd *willing* volunteer or two, I’m going to talk about my favourite things in mathematics: knots, topology, and drawing pictures. Specifically, a mathematical knot is like the kind in your shoelace, but with the ends joined together. These knots get used extensively across geometry and topology, mathematical physics and mathematical biology. I will talk about the classical problem of knot theory - classifying knots - and about some of the machinery (Reidemeister moves, colouring and other invariants) that allow us to approach the problem ourselves. Bring your colouring pencils and any spare string (or shoelaces. Or wire. Or extension leads….) you have lying around.