Abstract: Knots are everywhere: in the strings of our DNA, in the
structure of super-strong materials, and in mathematics, where knots lurk behind all
three-dimensional shapes. Graphs model social networks, transit maps, neural nets, and are
one of the most basic objects in modern combinatorics. But what does the mathematics of
knots have to do with the mathematics of networks? And how can we use algebra – the
science of numbers, operations, and structure – to solve mysteries about both?
About the speaker: Zsuzsanna Dancso
is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Sydney. In her research she
uses algebra and discrete mathematics to study knots and shapes in three and four dimensions. Zsuzsanna's research
is influenced by diverse international experiences and the collaborations she built along
the way: born and raised in Hungary, she completed her PhD at the University of Toronto
in Canada, and worked at multiple top research institutes and universities in North America
and Australia, before joining the University of Sydney in 2017.
Zsuzsanna values the fresh perspectives that students and young mathematicians
bring to the field: indeed, the project which inspired this lecture included two
University of Sydney students, in addition to an international collaborator.
Outside of mathematics, Zsuzsanna enjoys dance, musical theatre, and feeding people.
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