Black, Samson, 1979-2010-11-302010-11-302010-06https://hdl.handle.net/1794/10847viii, 50 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.We study a certain quotient of the Iwahori-Hecke algebra of the symmetric group Sd , called the super Temperley-Lieb algebra STLd. The Alexander polynomial of a braid can be computed via a certain specialization of the Markov trace which descends to STLd. Combining this point of view with Ocneanu's formula for the Markov trace and Young's seminormal form, we deduce a new state-sum formula for the Alexander polynomial. We also give a direct combinatorial proof of this result.en-USHecke algebrasAlexander polynomalSymmetric groupsMarkov traceMathematicsTheoretical mathematicsThesis