Abstract: A fundamental invariant associated to every rational function is its monodromy group. There has been an extensive accumulating work towards determining the complex rational functions with a specified monodromy group. We shall present its applications to problems concerning values of rational functions over finite fields, Hilbert irreducibility, Nevanlinna theory, and Mazur's torsion theorem. No prior knowledge on these subjects is required.

Coffee will be served at 12:00 before the lecture
at Schreiber building 006