Computational and Combinatorial Group Theory and Cryptography

This volume contains the proceedings of the AMS Special Session on Computational Algebra, Groups, and Applications, held April 30-May 1, 2011, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, and the AMS Special Session on the Mathematical Aspects of Cryptography and Cyber Security, held September 10-11, 2011, at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Over the past twenty years combinatorial and infinite group theory has been energized by three developments: the emergence of geometric and asymptotic group theory, the development of algebraic geometry over groups leading to the solution of the Tarski problems, and the development of group-based cryptography. These three areas in turn have had an impact on computational algebra and complexity theory. The papers in this volume, both survey and research, exhibit the tremendous vitality that is at the heart of group theory in the beginning of the twenty-first century as well as the diversity of interests in the field.