viii, 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. / Committee in charge: Arkady Vaintrob, Co-Chairperson, Mathematics Jonathan Brundan, Co-Chairperson, Mathematics; Victor Ostrik, Member, Mathematics; Dev Sinha, Member, Mathematics; Paul van Donkelaar, Outside Member, Human Physiology