*Please note the change in time*

Zoom link: https://princeton.zoom.us/j/594605776

A Thurston map is a branched covering map on a topological 2-sphere for which the forward orbit of each critical point under iteration is finite.  Thurston raised the question when such a map can  be realized by a rational map (in a suitable sense). He translated this question to a fixed point problem on a Teichmüller space, and found a necessary and sufficient in terms of the dynamics of curves under pullback by the map.

In my talk I will report on some recent joint work in this area with Annina Iseli and Misha Hlushchanka.