Profinite and Asymptotic Group Theory

Abstract

This meeting was focused on asymptotic aspects of group theory. The resulting problems lead, in particular, to the study of infinite groups, with an emphasis on the asymptotic behaviour of their finite quotients. Properties of infinite families of finite groups are at the center of interest in the field. Our meeting also covered new results from the theory of profinite groups. The methods and results of this area find important applications in several other fields of mathematics. To give an example from number theory, the absolute Galois group of the rational numbers is a profinite group in a very natural way. We had several talks covering the applications.