Seminar:

Spring 2009, Thursdays, Milner 216, 4:00-4:50 PM


Date: February 19

"  Geometric models of trees and graphs "
  Weronika Buczynska  

Abstract

This talk will be elementary, aimed to any graduate student.
Algebraic geometry serves as tool for studying models of evolution - computational biologists objects of interest. Very special models - binary symmetric models on trivalent trees - when complexified, have structure of a projective toric variety. This means they can be described by a polytope with integral vertices. The interesting fact is that models of trivalent trees with given number of leaves have the same invariants and can be deformed one to another.