Syzygies, Moduli Spaces, and Brill-Noether Theory

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This project concerns research in algebraic geometry, the study of polynomial equations. The investigator works on the connections between the algebraic properties of equations and the geometric properties of the spaces they define. In particular, this research project uses syzygies to study fundamental questions regarding Riemann surfaces, one of the most important classes of geometric objects. The investigation of syzygies, or the relations amongst equations, has long played a central role in algebra, with a history ranging from 19th-century invariant theory to 21st-century theoretical physics. Applications of this research include moduli spaces, matrix factorizations, string theory, enumerative geometry, and mirror symmetry.In more detail, the investigator is working on relating the algebraic invariants associated to the extrinsic geometry of a Riemann surface embedded in projective space to its intrinsic geometry. The relevant algebraic invariants are the Betti numbers of the minimal free resolution of the coordinate ring, as defined by Hilbert, whereas the intrinsic geometry is encoded in the invariants of Brill-Noether theory. The investigator will explore longstanding fundamental conjectures predicting precise relationships between these invariants. The project investigates these conjectures and generalizations of them using several new techniques such as intersection theory, the moduli space of curves, Hurwitz space, and vector bundle techniques.