We consider random matrices associated to random walks on the complete
graph with random weights. When the weights have finite second moment we
find Wigner-like behavior for the empirical spectral density. If the
weights have finite fourth moment we prove convergence of extremal
eigenvalues to the edge of the semi-circle law. The case of weights with
infinite second moment is also considered. In this case we prove
convergence of the spectral density on a suitable scale and the limiting
measure is characterized in terms certain Poisson weighted infinite
trees associated to the starting graph. Connections with recent work on
random matrices with i.i.d. heavy-tailed entries and several open
problems are also discussed. This is recent work in collaboration with
D. Chafai and C. Bordenave (from Univ. P.Sabatier, Toulouse - France).

Consider a crystal formed of two types of atoms placed at the nodes of the
integer lattice. The type of each atom is chosen at random, but the crystal
is statistically shift-invariant. Consider next an electron hopping from atom
to atom. This electron performs a random walk on the integer lattice with
randomly chosen transition probabilities (since the configuration seen by
the electron is different at each lattice site). This process is highly
non-Markovian, due to the interaction between the walk and the
environment.

We will present a martingale approach to proving the invariance principle
(i.e. Gaussian fluctuations from the mean) for (irreversible) Markov chains
and show how this can be transferred to a result for the above process
(called random walk in random environment).

This is joint work with Timo Sepp\"al\"ainen.

For a class of semilinear stochastic parabolic equations of Ito type, under suitable conditions, we shall prove the existence of positive local solutions and their Lp-moments will blow up in a finte time for any p greater or equal to one.