Life and Math Podcast

LaMP 4 Math. Allison Henrich: Reidemeister Moves, Link Diagrams, & Virtual Knots


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This is the "Math" part of my interview with Dr. Allison Henrich, a math professor at Seattle University specializing in algebraic topology and knot theory. Knot theory is the study of closed 1-dimensional knots in 3D space. The interview starts describing origins of knot theory going back to Lord Kelvin's failed model for atoms. From there we discuss the notion of knot equivalence, isotopy, and a major theorem for knot invariants, Reidemeister's Theorem, which reduces all knot preserving transformations to 3 basic moves. The discussion moves to a generalization of knots known as virtual knots and Dr. Henrich's thesis work inventing 3 virtual knot invariants. At the end Dr. Henrich talks in depth about her recent work on knot games with college and high school students. Enjoy the interview!
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Life and Math PodcastBy Life and Math

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