The University of Queensland
Department of Mathematics
Mathematical Physics Seminar
On the interplay between integrable models in statistical mechanics and lattice random walks
Dr A Owczarek
University of Melbourne
Monday 7th August, 10.00am
67-316 Priestley Building
Integrable models in statistical mechanics have played a pivotal role in mathematical physics over the past few decades with results from their theory pushing the boundaries of many fields from knot theory to number theory. Lattice random walks arising from the field of stochastic processes have been applied to many problems in the sciences, especially in physics, with their role as a basic model seemingly inexhaustible. Because time is unidirectional, directed lattice random walks are centrally important. Here even apparently simple instances are of immense interest to those working in combinatorics, computer science and, lately and more specifically, to those studying random matrices. There are several mappings between lattice path problems and vertex models of integrable statistical mechanics and these relationships have already borne rich fruit. This talk will explore the current status of the use of the results and techniques of exactly solvable lattice vertex models in statistical mechanics to lattice random walk problems especially directed paths, with a slant to the speaker's contribution to this area (apologies for this bias given now).
All interested are invited to attend.
Enquires to Yao-Zhong Zhang on 3365 2309 or yzz@maths.uq.edu.au