Topology Seminar: Ergun Yalcin

We are interested in classifying all finite groups which can act  on a finite CW-complex homotopy equivalent to a sphere, such that all isotropy subgroups are rank one groups, i.e., they do not include Z/pxZ/p  for any prime p. The equivalent question for free actions (all isotropy subgroups are trivial) has been answered completely by the works of P.A. Smith and  R. Swan. For actions with rank one isotropy, we give a list of group theoretical conditions which guarantee the existence of such actions. Some of these conditions are necessary conditions depending on assumptions on fixed point subspaces. This is a joint work with Ian Hambleton.