CMSA Math-Science Literature Lecture: Rationality questions in algebraic geometry
VirtualJoe Harris (Harvard) Title: Rationality questions in algebraic geometry Abstract: Over the course of the history of algebraic geometry, rationality questions — motivated by both geometric and arithmetic problems — have often driven the subject forward. The rationality or irrationality of cubic hypersurfaces in particular have led to the development of abelian integrals (dimension one), birational geometry (dimension […]
CMSA Math-Science Literature Lecture: Quantum Groups
VirtualPavel Etingof (MIT) Title: Quantum Groups Abstract: The theory of quantum groups developed in mid 1980s from attempts to construct and understand solutions of the quantum Yang-Baxter equation, an important equation arising in quantum field theory and statistical mechanics. Since then, it has grown into a vast subject with profound connections to many areas of mathematics, such as […]
CMSA Math-Science Literature Lecture: Black Hole Formation
VirtualLydia Bieri (University of Michigan) Title: Black Hole Formation Abstract: Can black holes form through the focusing of gravitational waves? This was an outstanding question since the early days of general relativity. In his breakthrough result of 2008, Demetrios Chrstodoulou answered this question with “Yes!” In order to investigate this result, we will delve deeper into the […]
CMSA Math-Science Literature Lecture: My life and times with the sporadic simple groups
VirtualRobert Griess (University of Michigan) Title: My life and times with the sporadic simple groups Abstract: Five sporadic simple groups were proposed in 19th century and 21 additional ones arose during the period 1965-1975. There were many discussions about the nature of finite simple groups and how sporadic groups are placed in mathematics. While in mathematics grad […]