Math 578: Young tableaux in representation theory and geometry

Monty McGovern

Winter 2000, MWF 9:30-10:20


A Young tableau is an arrangement of numbers in a left-justified array of nondecreasing rows such that the numbers increase weakly down the columns and strictly across the rows.  These unassuming objects turn out to have a fascinating theory with numerous applications to representation theory and geometry (particularly of the symmetric and general linear groups).  Following William Fulton's recent Cambridge University Press book Young Tableaux, we will survey this theory and its applications.  There are essentially no prerequisites, although familiarity with the first-year algebra sequence (504/5/6) would be helpful.