Robert Penner USC Department of Mathematics 3620 Vermont Avenue, KAP108 Los Angeles, CA 90089-2532 +1(213)740-2422 rpenner@usc.edu http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~rpenner
Research Interests: My early research interests were in the fields of low-dimensional topology and dynamical systems. My doctoral thesis solved an old problem of Max Dehn and led to a monograph describing the basic theory of train tracks in surfaces. Turning more towards geometry, I discovered and developed the decorated Teichmueller theory of punctured surfaces in a series of papers. I and other researchers have subsequently applied these techinques to various problems both in mathematics and in the string theory of high-energy physics. My current research interests include further development of these interfaces between geometry and physics.

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