UBC/ PIMS Mathematical Sciences Young Faculty Award Colloquium: Liam Watson

Abstract:

Khovanov homology, though relatively young, is difficult to survey in an hour. This talk will nevertheless attempt to do so, by focussing on the problem of characterizing thin links—those links with simplest-possible Khovanov homology. This is a story that is still unfolding; I will describe some progress that is part of a joint project with Artem Kotelskiy and Claudius Zibrowius.

About the award: 

The UBC- PIMS Mathematical Sciences Young Faculty Award prize was created by two founding donors, Anton Kuipers and Darrell Duffie, to recognize UBC researchers for their leading edge work in mathematics or its applications in the sciences. Dr. Liam Watson is the 2019 winner and will give his colloquium on January 22, 2021.

Dr. Watson is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at UBC, with a research focus on Low Dimensional Topology. Dr. Watson received his PhD in 2009, from the University of Quebec at Montreal (and is also an alum of UBC). Watson had won teaching awards from UBC, the University of Glasgow and UCLA; held a tier 2 Canada Research Chair award, and a CRM- Simons professorship. Dr. Watson's research and distinctive partnership with other topologists has resulted in a successful PIMS Collaborative Research Group Award.

More details on the prize can be found here.