Dani Wise (McGill University)

Title: Bicollapsibility and groups with torsion.

Abstract:

The "spelling theorem" is a classical result about disk diagrams for one-relator groups with torsion ⟨a,b|Wn⟩. But how to generalize this striking result? We introduce the notion of a bicollapsible 2-complex. This allows us to generalize the hyperbolicity of one-relator groups with torsion to a broader class of groups with presentations whose relators are proper powers. We also prove that many such groups act properly and cocompactly on a CAT(0) cube complex. This is joint work with Jonah Gaster.