What does a random surface look like? And what does it mean anyway to pick a surface uniformly at random? These questions and related others arise naturally in the physics of quantum gravity, and have been the subject of intense research on the mathematical side in the last few years.
After discussing aspects of a canonical notion of random surface, the speaker will discuss interesting and counter-intuitive aspects of its geometry. He will also explain some of the outstanding conjectures in this field, as well as some progress that has been made.
About the speaker
Prof. Nathanaël Berestycki received his joint PhD from Cornell University and École Normale Supérieure in 2006. He then joined the University of Cambridge in 2007 and became the Professor of Probability in 2015. In 2018, he moved to the University of Vienna and is currently the Professor of Stochastics.
Prof. Berestycki’s research focuses on probability theory and geometry and analysis. More precisely, his research involves Brownian motion, random geometry, Liouville quantum gravity, Gaussian free field, Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE), dimer model, imaginary geometry, branching and coalescing systems and relation to partial differential equations, random walks on groups and mixing times.
For attendees’ attention
The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.