Statistical Combinatorics, 2011 Karl Menger Lecture

Speaker

Peter Winkler
Dartmouth College
http://www.math.dartmouth.edu/~pw/

Description

Statistical physics is the study of global behavior resulting from interaction of many small particles. Combinatorics and graph theory have played a role in this subject from its very beginnings. In recent years, however, these areas have enjoyed a closer bond both in methods and objectives, with some spectacular results. We will explain some of these results and how they came about, then indicate some of the many intriguing questions that remain.