Seminar series, by Professor Rosemary Bailey
from Queen Mary, University of London:

         ASSOCIATION SCHEMES


1.  What association schemes are: definitions and examples.

2.  The Bose-Mesner algebra, including the character table.

3.  Partially balanced incomplete-block designs.

4.  Orthogonal block structures.

Abstract:

Association schemes were invented in order to construct incomplete-block
designs for parameters where there is no balanced design.  However, they
have a combinatorial interest in their own right: for example, they
include strongly regular graphs.  What makes them work is the
low-dimensional commutative algebra attached to each association scheme.
One nice family of very imprimitive association schemes is defined by
partitions.


DATES for the 4 talks:

Thursday 19 Aug, 12 noon in 67-641
Monday   23 Aug, 3pm     in 50-2
Thursday 26 Aug, 12 noon in 67-641
Monday   30 Aug, 3pm     in 50-2


All welcome.

Liz