Pablo Luka

• In this thesis, we consider a problem from modular representation theory of finite groups. Lluís Puig asked the question whether the order of the defect groups of a block \( B \) of the group algebra of a given finite group \( G \) can always be bounded in terms of the order of the vertices of an arbitrary simple module lying in \( B \). In characteristic \( 2 \), there are examples showing that this is not possible in general, whereas in odd characteristic, no such examples are known. For instance, it is known that the answer to Puig's question is positive in case that \( G \) is a symmetric group, by work of Danz, Külshammer, and Puig. Motivated by this, we study the cases where \( G \) is a finite classical group in non-defining characteristic or one of the finite groups \( G_2(q) \) or \( ³D_4(q) \) of Lie type, again in non-defining characteristic. Here, we generalize Puig's original question by replacing the vertices occurring in his question by arbitrary self-centralizing subgroups of the defect groups. We derive positive and negative answers to this generalized question. \[\] In addition to that, we determine the vertices of the unipotent simple \( GL_2(q) \)-module labeled by the partition \( (1,1) \) in characteristic \( 2 \). This is done using a method known as Brauer construction.