Algebra/Topology Seminar

Ric Wade (University of Oxford)

Title: Classifying spaces for automorphism groups of right-angled Artin groups

Abstract: Right-angled Artin groups (RAAGs) are a family of discrete groups that interpolate between free and free-abelian groups. In recent work with Matt Day we show that every automorphism group of a RAAG has a finite index subgroup whose classifying space can be given by a finite CW complex. I will sketch the construction of these classifying spaces (roughly speaking, they are obtained by gluing together deformation spaces of trees and tori). I will also talk about how this links in with two related problems in the area: cohomological dimension and classifying spaces for proper actions.