This two-volume book contains selected papers from the international conference 'Groups St Andrews 1997 in Bath'. The articles cover a wide spectrum of modern group theory. There are articles based on lecture courses given by five main speakers together with refereed survey and research articles contributed by other conference participants. Proceedings of earlier 'Groups St Andrews' conferences have had a major impact on the development of group theory and these volumes should be equally important.

This two-volume book contains selected papers from the international conference 'Groups St Andrews 1997 in Bath'. The articles cover a wide spectrum of modern group theory. There are articles based on lecture courses given by five main speakers together with refereed survey and research articles contributed by other conference participants. Proceedings of earlier 'Groups St Andrews' conferences have had a major impact on the development of group theory and these volumes should be equally important.

Permutation groups is one of the oldest topics in algebra. However, the study of this field has recently been revolutionized by new developments, particularly the classification of finite simple groups, but also relations with logic and combinatorics, and importantly, computer algebra systems have been introduced that can deal with large permutation groups. This book gives a summary of these developments, including an introduction to relevant computer algebra systems, sketch proofs of major theorems, and many examples of applying the classification of finite simple groups. It is aimed at beginning graduate students and experts in other areas, and grew from a short course at the EIDMA institute in Eindhoven.

Permutation groups are one of the oldest topics in algebra. Their study has recently been revolutionized by new developments, particularly the Classification of Finite Simple Groups, but also relations with logic and combinatorics, and importantly, computer algebra systems have been introduced that can deal with large permutation groups. This text summarizes these developments, including an introduction to relevant computer algebra systems, sketch proofs of major theorems, and many examples of applying the Classification of Finite Simple Groups. It is aimed at beginning graduate students and experts in other areas, and grew from a short course at the EIDMA institute in Eindhoven.

This ACM volume deals with tackling problems that can be represented by data structures which are essentially matrices with polynomial entries, mediated by the disciplines of commutative algebra and algebraic geometry. The discoveries stem from an interdisciplinary branch of research which has been growing steadily over the past decade. The author covers a wide range, from showing how to obtain deep heuristics in a computation of a ring, a module or a morphism, to developing means of solving nonlinear systems of equations - highlighting the use of advanced techniques to bring down the cost of computation. Although intended for advanced students and researchers with interests both in algebra and computation, many parts may be read by anyone with a basic abstract algebra course.

The representation theory of reductive algebraic groups and related finite reductive groups is a subject of great topical interest and has many applications. The articles in this volume provide introductions to various aspects of the subject, including algebraic groups and Lie algebras, reflection groups, abelian and derived categories, the Deligne-Lusztig representation theory of finite reductive groups, Harish-Chandra theory and its generalisations, quantum groups, subgroup structure of algebraic groups, intersection cohomology, and Lusztig's conjectured character formula for irreducible representations in prime characteristic. The articles are carefully designed to reinforce one another, and are written by a team of distinguished authors: M. Broue, R. W. Carter, S. Donkin, M. Geck, J. C. Jantzen, B. Keller, M. W. Liebeck, G. Malle, J. C. Rickard and R. Rouquier. This volume as a whole should provide a very accessible introduction to an important, though technical, subject.

Introduces students to a broad range of interpersonal communication topics, research, and scholars and encourages them to make connections between the scholarship and their own interactions. Interpersonal communication is a core course for communication majors in the US. Outside the US, relevant modules may come from psychology departments or individual modules on communication skills within departments like business. Offers a robust companion website with materials for students and instructors, developed by authors and instructors, and students who have used the text.

The Atlas of Finite Groups by J. H. Conway, R. A. Parker, S. P. Norton and the editors of this book, was published in 1985, and has proved itself to be an indispensable tool to all researchers in group theory and many related areas. The present book is the proceedings of a conference organised to mark the 10th anniversary of the publication of the Atlas, and contains twenty articles by leading experts in the field, covering many aspects of group theory and its applications. There are surveys on recent developments, expository articles, and research papers, as well as a historical article on the development of the Atlas project since 1970. The book emphasises recent advances in group theory and applications which have been stimulated by the comprehensive collection of information contained in the Atlas, and covers both theoretical and computational aspects of finite groups, modular representation theory, presentations, and applications to the study of surfaces.

This volume reflects the fruitful connections between group theory and topology. It contains articles on cohomology, representation theory, geometric and combinatorial group theory. Some of the world's best known figures in this very active area of mathematics have made contributions, including substantial articles from Ol'shanskii, Mikhajlovskii, Carlson, Benson, Linnell, Wilson and Grigorchuk, which will be valuable reference works for some years to come. Pure mathematicians working in the fields of algebra, topology, and their interactions, will find this book of great interest.

The theory of Gröbner bases, invented by Bruno Buchberger, is a general method by which many fundamental problems in various branches of mathematics and engineering can be solved by structurally simple algorithms. The method is now available in all major mathematical software systems. This book provides a short and easy-to-read account of the theory of Gröbner bases and its applications. It is in two parts, the first consisting of tutorial lectures, beginning with a general introduction. The subject is then developed in a further twelve tutorials, written by leading experts, on the application of Gröbner bases in various fields of mathematics. In the second part there are seventeen original research papers on Gröbner bases. An appendix contains the English translations of the original German papers of Bruno Buchberger in which Gröbner bases were introduced.

Recent developments are covered

Contains over 100 figures and 250 exercises

Includes complete proofs

Ethnocentrism works to reinvigorate the study of ethnocentrism by reconceptualising ethnocentrism as a social, psychological, and attitudinal construct. Using a broad, multidisciplinary approach to ethnocentrism, the book integrates literature from disciplines such as psychology, political science, sociology, anthropology, biology, and marketing studies to create a novel reorganisation of the existing literature, its origins, and its outcomes. Empirical research throughout serves to comprehensively measure the six dimensions of ethnocentrism-devotion, group cohesion, preference, superiority, purity, and exploitativeness-and show how they factor into causes and consequences of ethnocentrism, including personality, values, morality, demographics, political ideology, social factors, prejudice, discrimination, and nationalism. Ethnocentrism is fascinating reading for scholars, researchers, and students in psychology, sociology, and political science.

Coming Home Your Way offers college and university students returning from an education-abroad experience a wealth of pertinent information, opportunities for meaningful reflection, and practical guidance on making the most of their time abroad. Grounded in research and addressing an array of aspects of education abroad - including intercultural communication, changing relationships, and career impact - Coming Home Your Way will be an invaluable tool for any student planning, experiencing, or returning from a stay abroad. Drawing from theory and research from multiple disciplines, and real-world experiences of students who have studied abroad, the volume addresses key themes critical to understanding reentry, including individual differences in taking in experience, communication patterns and approaches, the reentry transition, the nature of relationships in reentry, bridging reentry and career, and more. Within each chapter are opportunities for self-reflection that allow readers to integrate the ideas presented into their own experience. Compelling short fictional accounts add flavor and detail that bring theory to life. Coming Home Your Way provides a window into the complex experience of intercultural reentry. Reentry from an education-abroad experience can be a period of intense growth, and can feel disruptive and confusing while it's happening. The authors explain and explore these complexities in a conversational style that will engage students, and with the rigor expected by their instructors. Like no other book currently on the market, Coming Home Your Way will give college and university students insight into the challenges and intercultural opportunities that reentry offers.

The study of stable groups connects model theory, algebraic geometry and group theory. It analyzes groups that possess a certain general dependence relation and tries to derive structural properties from this. These may be group-theoretic (nilpotency or solubility of a given group), algebro-geometric (identification of a group as an algebraic group), or model-theoretic (description of the definable sets). In this book, the general theory of stable groups is developed from the beginning (including a chapter on preliminaries in group theory and model theory), concentrating on the model- and group-theoretic aspects. It brings together the various extensions of the original finite rank theory under a unified perspective and provides a coherent exposition of the current knowledge in the field.

This volume surveys recent interactions between model theory and other branches of mathematics, notably group theory. Beginning with an introductory chapter describing relevant background material, the book contains contributions from many leading international figures in this area. Topics described include automorphism groups of algebraically closed fields, the model theory of pseudo-finite fields and applications to the subgroup structure of finite Chevalley groups. Model theory of modules, and aspects of model theory of various classes of groups, including free groups, are also discussed. The book also contains the first comprehensive survey of finite covers. Many new proofs and simplifications of recent results are presented and the articles contain many open problems. This book will be a suitable guide for graduate students and a useful reference for researchers working in model theory and algebra.

Emphasizing computational techniques, this book provides an accessible and lucid introduction to combinatorial group theory. Rigorous proofs of all theorems and a light, informal style make Presentations of Groups a self-contained combinatorics class. Numerous and diverse exercises provide readers with a thorough overview of the subject. While catering to combinatorics beginners, this book also includes the frontiers of research, and explains software packages such as GAP, MAGMA, and QUOTPIC. This new edition has been revised throughout, including new exercises and an additional chapter on proving certain groups are infinite. Aimed at advanced undergraduates, this book will be a resource for graduate students and researchers.

In 1970 Bernd Fischer proved his beautiful theorem classifying the almost simple groups generated by 3-transpositions, and in the process discovered three new sporadic groups, now known as the Fischer groups. Since then, the theory of 3-transposition groups has become an important part of finite simple group theory, but Fischer's work has remained unpublished. 3-Transposition Groups contains the first published proof of Fischer's Theorem, written out completely in one place. Fischer's result, while important and deep (covering a number of complex examples), can be understood by any student with some knowledge of elementary group theory and finite geometry. Thus Part I has minimal prerequisites and could be used as a text for an intermediate level graduate course. Parts II and III are aimed at specialists in finite groups and are a step in the author's program to supply a strong foundation for the theory of sporadic groups.

This self-contained monograph is the first to feature the intersection of the structure theory of noncommutative associative algebras and the algorithmic aspect of Groebner basis theory. A double filtered-graded transfer of data in using noncommutative Groebner bases leads to effective exploitation of the solutions to several structural-computational problems, e.g., an algorithmic recognition of quadric solvable polynomial algebras, computation of GK-dimension and multiplicity for modules, and elimination of variables in noncommutative setting. All topics included deal with algebras of (q-)differential operators as well as some other operator algebras, enveloping algebras of Lie algebras, typical quantum algebras, and many of their deformations.

This book describes various approaches to the Inverse Galois Problem, a classical unsolved problem of mathematics posed by Hilbert at the beginning of the century. It brings together ideas from group theory, algebraic geometry and number theory, topology, and analysis. Assuming only elementary algebra and complex analysis, the author develops the necessary background from topology, Riemann surface theory and number theory. The first part of the book is quite elementary, and leads up to the basic rigidity criteria for the realization of groups as Galois groups. The second part presents more advanced topics, such as braid group action and moduli spaces for covers of the Riemann sphere, GAR- and GAL- realizations, and patching over complete valued fields. Graduate students and mathematicians from other areas (especially group theory) will find this an excellent introduction to a fascinating field.

This volume contains survey papers by the invited speakers at the Conference on Semigroup Theory and Its Applications which took place at Tulane University in April, 1994. The authors represent the leading areas of research in semigroup theory and its applications, both to other areas of mathematics and to areas outside mathematics. Included are papers by Gordon Preston surveying Clifford's work on Clifford semigroups and by John Rhodes tracing the influence of Clifford's work on current semigroup theory. Notable among the areas of application are the paper by Jean-Eric Pin on applications of other areas of mathematics to semigroup theory and the paper by the editors on an application of semigroup theory to theoretical computer science and mathematical logic. All workers in semigroup theory should find this volume invaluable.

In this introduction to commutative algebra, the author choses a route that leads the reader through the essential ideas, without getting embroiled in technicalities. He takes the reader quickly to the fundamentals of complex projective geometry, requiring only a basic knowledge of linear and multilinear algebra and some elementary group theory. The author divides the book into three parts. In the first, he develops the general theory of noetherian rings and modules. He includes a certain amount of homological algebra, and he emphasizes rings and modules of fractions as preparation for working with sheaves. In the second part, he discusses polynomial rings in several variables with coefficients in the field of complex numbers. After Noether's normalization lemma and Hilbert's Nullstellensatz, the author introduces affine complex schemes and their morphisms; he then proves Zariski's main theorem and Chevalley's semi-continuity theorem. Finally, the author's detailed study of Weil and Cartier divisors provides a solid background for modern intersection theory. This is an excellent textbook for those who seek an efficient and rapid introduction to the geometric applications of commutative algebra.

Commutative Algebra, Singularities and Computer Algebra presents current trends in commutative algebra, algebraic combinatorics, singularity theory and computer algebra, and highlights the interaction between these disciplines. Contributions by leading international mathematicians thoroughly discuss topics in: modules theory, integrally closed ideals and determinantal ideals, singularities in projective spaces and Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity, Groebner and SAGBI basis, and the use of the computer packages Bergman, CoCoA and SINGULAR.

In this well-written introduction to commutative algebra, the author shows the link between commutative ring theory and algebraic geometry. In addition to standard material, the book contrasts the methods and ideology of modern abstract algebra with concrete applications in algebraic geometry and number theory. Professor Reid begins with a discussion of modules and Noetherian rings before moving on to finite extensions and the Noether normalization. Sections on the nullstellensatz and rings of fractions precede sections on primary decomposition and normal integral domains. This book is ideal for anyone seeking a primer on commutative algebra.

This book is an introduction to group theory and its application to physics. The author considers the physical applications and develops mathematical theory in a presentation that is unusually cohesive and well-motivated. The book discusses many modern topics including molecular vibrations, homogeneous vector bundles, compact groups and Lie groups, and there is much discussion of the group SU(n) and its representations, which is of great significance in elementary particle physics. The author also considers applications to solid-state physics. This is an essential resource for senior undergraduates and researchers in physics and applied mathematics.

The present book is devoted to a study of relative Prüfer rings and Manis valuations, with an eye to application in real and p-adic geometry. If one wants to expand on the usual algebraic geometry over a non-algebraically closed base field, e.g. a real closed field or p-adically closed field, one typically meets lots of valuation domains. Usually they are not discrete and hence not noetherian. Thus, for a further develomemt of real algebraic and real analytic geometry in particular, and certainly also rigid analytic and p-adic geometry, new chapters of commutative algebra are needed, often of a non-noetherian nature. The present volume presents one such chapter.