Department Colloquium: How irrational is an irrational variety?

Abstract: Recall that an algebraic variety is said to be rational if it has a Zariski open subset that is isomorphic to an open subset of projective space. There has been a great deal of recent activity and progress on issues of rationality, but most varieties aren't rational. I will survey a body of work concerned with a complementary question, namely measuring and controlling "how irrational" a non-rational variety might be. 

Hosts: Roya Beheshti, Matt Kerr

There will be a tea at 3:30 in Cupples I Lounge (Room 200) before the colloquium.