Introductory Workshop: Probability and Statistics of Discrete Structures: Shuffling via transpositions
Presenter
January 31, 2025
Keywords:
- Network models and random graphs
- statistcal learning and network inference
- counting and sampling discrete structures
- dynamics on networks
- probabilistic analysis of network algorithms
MSC:
- 05C80 - Random graphs (graph-theoretic aspects)
- 60C05 - Combinatorial probability
Abstract
In their seminal work, Diaconis and Shahshahani proved that shuffling a deck of $n$ cards sufficiently well via random transpositions takes $1/2 n log n$ steps. Their argument was algebraic and relied on the combinatorics of the symmetric group. In this talk, I will focus on two other shuffles, generalizing random transpositions and I will discuss the underlying combinatorics for understanding their mixing behavior and indeed proving cutoff. The talk will be based on joint works with A. Yan and S. Arfaee.