Logic Seminar

In this talk, based on joint work with Daniel Drimbe and Adrian Ioana, will focus on an operator algebraic criterion sufficient for deducing measure equivalence of countable groups in the sense of Gromov. In particular, we will give a tool for determining when measure equivalence between $\Gamma_1 \times \Gamma_2$ and $\Lambda_1 \times \Lambda_2$ can be upgraded to measure equivalence between the factors, as is the case in a well known result of Monod and Shalom. The motivation is to bring to bear the power of Sorin Popa's deformation/rigidity theory, but no familiarity with that theory will be assumed.