Given a finite group $\text{G}$ and a field $K$, the faithful dimension of $\text{G}$ over $K$ is defined to be the smallest integer $n$ such that $\text{G}$ embeds into $\operatorname{GL}_{n}(K)$. We address the problem of determining the faithful dimension of a $p$-group of the form $\mathscr{G}_{q}:=\exp (\mathfrak{g}\otimes _{\mathbb{Z}}\mathbb{F}_{q})$ associated to $\mathfrak{g}_{q}:=\mathfrak{g}\otimes _{\mathbb{Z}}\mathbb{F}_{q}$ in the Lazard correspondence, where $\mathfrak{g}$ is a nilpotent $\mathbb{Z}$-Lie algebra which is finitely generated as an abelian group. We show that in general the faithful dimension of $\mathscr{G}_{p}$ is a piecewise polynomial function of $p$ on a partition of primes into Frobenius sets. Furthermore, we prove that for $p$ sufficiently large, there exists a partition of $\mathbb{N}$ by sets from the Boolean algebra generated by arithmetic progressions, such that on each part the faithful dimension of $\mathscr{G}_{q}$ for $q:=p^{f}$ is equal to $fg(p^{f})$ for a polynomial $g(T)$. We show that for many naturally arising $p$-groups, including a vast class of groups defined by partial orders, the faithful dimension is given by a single formula of the latter form. The arguments rely on various tools from number theory, model theory, combinatorics and Lie theory.

We study actions of Lie supergroups, in particular, the hitherto elusive notion of orbits through odd (or more general) points. Following categorical principles, we derive a conceptual framework for their treatment and therein prove general existence theorems for the isotropy (or stabiliser) supergroups and orbits through general points. In this setting, we show that the coadjoint orbits always admit a (relative) supersymplectic structure of Kirillov–Kostant–Souriau type. Applying a family version of Kirillov’s orbit method, we decompose the regular representation of an odd Abelian supergroup into an odd direct integral of characters and construct universal families of representations, parametrised by a supermanifold, for two different super variants of the Heisenberg group.