SMS scnews item created by Catherine Meister at Wed 5 Nov 2025 1616
Type: Seminar
Distribution: World
Expiry: 17 Dec 2025
Calendar1: 7 Nov 2025 0900-1100
CalLoc1: SMRI Seminar Room (A12 Room 301)
CalTitle1: Representation theory of symmetric groups
Auth: cmeister@159-196-153-133.9fc499.syd.nbn.aussiebb.net (cmei0631) in SMS-SAML

Informal Friday Seminar: Goertzen

Representation theory of symmetric groups


Tom Goertzen, University of Sydney


Informal Friday Seminar, Friday 7th November 2025


9 am – 11 am, SMRI Seminar Room (A12 Macleay Room 301)


Abstract: In this two-part talk series, we explore various constructions of irreducible representations of symmetric groups via combinatorial and algebraic methods. We will examine different bases for Specht modules, including the polytabloid basis, Young’s natural, seminormal, and orthogonal bases, the Gelfand-Tsetlin basis, and the Kazhdan-Lusztig basis. The series will conclude by discussing the relationships between these bases (via base-change matrices), highlighting open problems in the field, and providing a brief introduction to the modular representation theory of symmetric groups.

The Informal Friday Seminar is a space where members of our research group can explain interesting things to each other in a casual setting. The rules of the seminar are the following:

  1. Any question/additional explanation from the audience is allowed.
  2. Ego out the window.
  3. Examples, examples, examples.

    4. The seminar is intended to be conversational, so come ready to engage. If you choose to give an IFS talk, it's important to know that part of the IFS philosophy is that learning is not linear. In other words, it if perfectly acceptable to give a talk that is a prerequisite for a talk that already happened. For IFS updates, please see the IFS website