Shenandoah Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics Conference
at James Madison University, October 18, 2008
Closing Address

Knots, Surfaces, and 3-Manifolds

Robin Wilson, Cal Poly Pomona

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Invited Talks:
Michael Mossinghoff
Robin Wilson

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Contact the organizers: SUMS at math dot jmu dot edu
Abstract:   The areas of knot theory and 3-manifold topology are closely related. In fact, the exterior of a knot is itself an example of a 3-manifold. One approach to studying 3-manifolds is to understand the surfaces that are contained in them. In this talk I will give an introduction to knot theory, its connections with 3-manifold topology, and the study of surfaces in 3-manifolds and knot exteriors. I will also discuss some recent research about bridge surfaces in knot complements.

Biography: Robin Wilson was earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California at Davis in 2006, earned a Masters in Mathematics from Howard University in 2001, and completed his undergraduate work at the University of California at Berkeley in 1999.  He held a University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Santa Barbara in 2006-2007 and since 2007 he has been on the faculty at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.  His current research is in the areas of knot theory and 3-manifold topology.