Texas A&M University, Department of Mathematics, 216 Milner Hall, 17th of October 2007, 3:00-3:50

Groups and Dynamics Seminar


Recent results on the free lamplighter group and approximation properties, after Ozawa, Popa, Valette, et al.

Gilles Pisier of Texas A&M University


We present the Ozawa-Popa proof that the reduced C*-algebra of the "free lamplighter" group fails the completely contractive AP (Approximation Property) and the Valette et al. proof that it has the Haagerup AP, thus answering negatively a question of Cowling.