Memories of Sir Michael Atiyah Nigel Hitchin, Editor
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MY UNFORGETTABLE EARLY YEARS at the INSTITUTE Enstitüde Unutulmaz Erken Yıllarım
MY UNFORGETTABLE EARLY YEARS AT THE INSTITUTE Enstitüde Unutulmaz Erken Yıllarım Dinakar Ramakrishnan `And what was it like,’ I asked him, `meeting Eliot?’ `When he looked at you,’ he said, `it was like standing on a quay, watching the prow of the Queen Mary come towards you, very slowly.’ – from `Stern’ by Seamus Heaney in memory of Ted Hughes, about the time he met T.S.Eliot It was a fortunate stroke of serendipity for me to have been at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, twice during the nineteen eighties, first as a Post-doctoral member in 1982-83, and later as a Sloan Fellow in the Fall of 1986. I had the privilege of getting to know Robert Langlands at that time, and, needless to say, he has had a larger than life influence on me. It wasn’t like two ships passing in the night, but more like a rowboat feeling the waves of an oncoming ship. Langlands and I did not have many conversations, but each time we did, he would make a Zen like remark which took me a long time, at times months (or even years), to comprehend. Once or twice it even looked like he was commenting not on the question I posed, but on a tangential one; however, after much reflection, it became apparent that what he had said had an interesting bearing on what I had been wondering about, and it always provided a new take, at least to me, on the matter. Most importantly, to a beginner in the field like I was then, he was generous to a fault, always willing, whenever asked, to explain the subtle aspects of his own work. -
Prvních Deset Abelových Cen Za Matematiku
Prvních deset Abelových cen za matematiku The first ten Abel Prizes for mathematics [English summary] In: Michal Křížek (author); Lawrence Somer (author); Martin Markl (author); Oldřich Kowalski (author); Pavel Pudlák (author); Ivo Vrkoč (author); Hana Bílková (other): Prvních deset Abelových cen za matematiku. (English). Praha: Jednota českých matematiků a fyziků, 2013. pp. 87–88. Persistent URL: http://dml.cz/dmlcz/402234 Terms of use: © M. Křížek © L. Somer © M. Markl © O. Kowalski © P. Pudlák © I. Vrkoč Institute of Mathematics of the Czech Academy of Sciences provides access to digitized documents strictly for personal use. Each copy of any part of this document must contain these Terms of use. This document has been digitized, optimized for electronic delivery and stamped with digital signature within the project DML-CZ: The Czech Digital Mathematics Library http://dml.cz Summary The First Ten Abel Prizes for Mathematics Michal Křížek, Lawrence Somer, Martin Markl, Oldřich Kowalski, Pavel Pudlák, Ivo Vrkoč The Abel Prize for mathematics is an international prize presented by the King of Norway for outstanding results in mathematics. It is named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829) who found that there is no explicit formula for the roots of a general polynomial of degree five. The financial support of the Abel Prize is comparable with the Nobel Prize, i.e., about one million American dollars. Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829) M. Křížek a kol.: Prvních deset Abelových cen za matematiku, JČMF, Praha, 2013 87 Already in 1899, another famous Norwegian mathematician Sophus Lie proposed to establish an Abel Prize, when he learned that Alfred Nobel would not include a prize in mathematics among his five proposed Nobel Prizes. -
FIELDS MEDAL for Mathematical Efforts R
Recognizing the Real and the Potential: FIELDS MEDAL for Mathematical Efforts R Fields Medal recipients since inception Year Winners 1936 Lars Valerian Ahlfors (Harvard University) (April 18, 1907 – October 11, 1996) Jesse Douglas (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (July 3, 1897 – September 7, 1965) 1950 Atle Selberg (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton) (June 14, 1917 – August 6, 2007) 1954 Kunihiko Kodaira (Princeton University) (March 16, 1915 – July 26, 1997) 1962 John Willard Milnor (Princeton University) (born February 20, 1931) The Fields Medal 1966 Paul Joseph Cohen (Stanford University) (April 2, 1934 – March 23, 2007) Stephen Smale (University of California, Berkeley) (born July 15, 1930) is awarded 1970 Heisuke Hironaka (Harvard University) (born April 9, 1931) every four years 1974 David Bryant Mumford (Harvard University) (born June 11, 1937) 1978 Charles Louis Fefferman (Princeton University) (born April 18, 1949) on the occasion of the Daniel G. Quillen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (June 22, 1940 – April 30, 2011) International Congress 1982 William P. Thurston (Princeton University) (October 30, 1946 – August 21, 2012) Shing-Tung Yau (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton) (born April 4, 1949) of Mathematicians 1986 Gerd Faltings (Princeton University) (born July 28, 1954) to recognize Michael Freedman (University of California, San Diego) (born April 21, 1951) 1990 Vaughan Jones (University of California, Berkeley) (born December 31, 1952) outstanding Edward Witten (Institute for Advanced Study, -
Mothers in Science
The aim of this book is to illustrate, graphically, that it is perfectly possible to combine a successful and fulfilling career in research science with motherhood, and that there are no rules about how to do this. On each page you will find a timeline showing on one side, the career path of a research group leader in academic science, and on the other side, important events in her family life. Each contributor has also provided a brief text about their research and about how they have combined their career and family commitments. This project was funded by a Rosalind Franklin Award from the Royal Society 1 Foreword It is well known that women are under-represented in careers in These rules are part of a much wider mythology among scientists of science. In academia, considerable attention has been focused on the both genders at the PhD and post-doctoral stages in their careers. paucity of women at lecturer level, and the even more lamentable The myths bubble up from the combination of two aspects of the state of affairs at more senior levels. The academic career path has academic science environment. First, a quick look at the numbers a long apprenticeship. Typically there is an undergraduate degree, immediately shows that there are far fewer lectureship positions followed by a PhD, then some post-doctoral research contracts and than qualified candidates to fill them. Second, the mentors of early research fellowships, and then finally a more stable lectureship or career researchers are academic scientists who have successfully permanent research leader position, with promotion on up the made the transition to lectureships and beyond. -
1 Getting a Knighthood
Getting a knighthood (Bristol, June 1996) It's unreal, isn't it? I've always had a strong sense of the ridiculous, of the absurd, and this is working overtime now. Many of you must have been thinking, ‘Why Berry?’ Well, since I am the least knightly person I know, I have been asking the same question, and although I haven't come up with an answer I can offer a few thoughts. How does a scientist get this sort of national recognition? One way is to do something useful to the nation, that everyone agrees is important to the national well- being or even survival. Our home-grown example is of course Sir Charles Frank's war work. Or, one can sacrifice several years of one's life doing high-level scientific administration, not always received with gratitude by the scientific hoi polloi but important to the smooth running of the enterprise. Sir John Kingman is in this category. Another way – at least according to vulgar mythology – is to have the right family background. Well, my father drove a cab in London and my mother ruined her eyes as a dressmaker. Another way is to win the Nobel Prize or one of the other huge awards like the Wolf or King Faisal prizes, like Sir George Porter as he then was, or Sir Michael Atiyah. The principle here I suppose is, to those that have, more shall be given. I don't qualify on any of these grounds. The nearest I come is to have have won an fairly large number of smaller awards. -
What's Inside
Newsletter A publication of the Controlled Release Society Volume 32 • Number 1 • 2015 What’s Inside 42nd CRS Annual Meeting & Exposition pH-Responsive Fluorescence Polymer Probe for Tumor pH Targeting In Situ-Gelling Hydrogels for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Using a Microinjection Device Interview with Paolo Colombo Patent Watch Robert Langer Awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Newsletter Charles Frey Vol. 32 • No. 1 • 2015 Editor Table of Contents From the Editor .................................................................................................................. 2 From the President ............................................................................................................ 3 Interview Steven Giannos An Interview with Paolo Colombo from University of Parma .............................................. 4 Editor 42nd CRS Annual Meeting & Exposition .......................................................................... 6 What’s on Board Access the Future of Delivery Science and Technology with Key CRS Resources .............. 9 Scientifically Speaking pH-Responsive Fluorescence Polymer Probe for Tumor pH Targeting ............................. 10 Arlene McDowell Editor In Situ-Gelling Hydrogels for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Using a Microinjection Device ........................................................................................................ 12 Patent Watch ................................................................................................................... 14 Special -
Twenty Female Mathematicians Hollis Williams
Twenty Female Mathematicians Hollis Williams Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Alba Carballo González for support and encouragement. 1 Table of Contents Sofia Kovalevskaya ................................................................................................................................. 4 Emmy Noether ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Mary Cartwright ................................................................................................................................... 26 Julia Robinson ....................................................................................................................................... 36 Olga Ladyzhenskaya ............................................................................................................................. 46 Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat ....................................................................................................................... 56 Olga Oleinik .......................................................................................................................................... 67 Charlotte Fischer .................................................................................................................................. 77 Karen Uhlenbeck .................................................................................................................................. 87 Krystyna Kuperberg ............................................................................................................................. -
October 2013
LONDONLONDON MATHEMATICALMATHEMATICAL SOCIETYSOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 429 October 2013 Society MeetingsSociety 2013 ELECTIONS voting the deadline for receipt of Meetings TO COUNCIL AND votes is 7 November 2013. and Events Members may like to note that and Events NOMINATING the LMS Election blog, moderated 2013 by the Scrutineers, can be found at: COMMITTEE http://discussions.lms.ac.uk/ Thursday 31 October The LMS 2013 elections will open on elections2013/. Good Practice Scheme 10th October 2013. LMS members Workshop, London will be contacted directly by the Future elections page 15 Electoral Reform Society (ERS), who Members are invited to make sug- Friday 15 November will send out the election material. gestions for nominees for future LMS Graduate Student In advance of this an email will be elections to Council. These should Meeting, London sent by the Society to all members be addressed to Dr Penny Davies 1 page 4 who are registered for electronic who is the Chair of the Nominat- communication informing them ing Committee (nominations@lms. Friday 15 November that they can expect to shortly re- ac.uk). Members may also make LMS AGM, London ceive some election correspondence direct nominations: details will be page 5 from the ERS. published in the April 2014 News- Monday 16 December Those not registered to receive letter or are available from Duncan SW & South Wales email correspondence will receive Turton at the LMS (duncan.turton@ Regional Meeting, all communications in paper for- lms.ac.uk). Swansea mat, both from the Society and 18-21 December from the ERS. Members should ANNUAL GENERAL LMS Prospects in check their post/email regularly in MEETING Mathematics, Durham October for communications re- page 11 garding the elections. -
Opening Ceremony
Opening ceremony Sir John Ball, President of the International Mathematical Union Your Majesty, Señor Ruiz Gallardón, Señora Cabrera, Señora Aguirre, Professor Manuel de León, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, ¡Bienvenidos al ICM dos mil seis! Welcome to ICM 2006, the 25th International Congress of Mathematicians, and the first ICM to be held in Spain. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the Spanish nation, so rich in history and culture, for its invitation to Madrid. We greatly appreciate that His Majesty King Juan Carlos is honouring mathematics by His presence here today. While celebrating this feast of mathematics, with the many talking-points that it will provide, it is worth reflecting on the ways in which our community functions. Mathematics is a profession of high standards and integrity. We freely discuss our work with others without fear of it being stolen, and research is communicated openly prior to formal publication. Editorial procedures are fair and proper, and work gains its reputation through merit and not by how it is promoted. These are the norms operated by the vast majority of mathematicians. The exceptions are rare, and they are noticed. Mathematics has a strong record of service, freely given. We see this in the time and care spent in the refereeing of papers and other forms of peer review. We see it in the running of mathematical societies and journals, in the provision of free mathematical software and teaching resources, and in the various projects world-wide to improve electronic access to the mathematical literature, old and new. We see it in the nurturing of students beyond the call of duty. -
Floer Homology, Gauge Theory, and Low-Dimensional Topology
Floer Homology, Gauge Theory, and Low-Dimensional Topology Clay Mathematics Proceedings Volume 5 Floer Homology, Gauge Theory, and Low-Dimensional Topology Proceedings of the Clay Mathematics Institute 2004 Summer School Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics Budapest, Hungary June 5–26, 2004 David A. Ellwood Peter S. Ozsváth András I. Stipsicz Zoltán Szabó Editors American Mathematical Society Clay Mathematics Institute 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 57R17, 57R55, 57R57, 57R58, 53D05, 53D40, 57M27, 14J26. The cover illustrates a Kinoshita-Terasaka knot (a knot with trivial Alexander polyno- mial), and two Kauffman states. These states represent the two generators of the Heegaard Floer homology of the knot in its topmost filtration level. The fact that these elements are homologically non-trivial can be used to show that the Seifert genus of this knot is two, a result first proved by David Gabai. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clay Mathematics Institute. Summer School (2004 : Budapest, Hungary) Floer homology, gauge theory, and low-dimensional topology : proceedings of the Clay Mathe- matics Institute 2004 Summer School, Alfr´ed R´enyi Institute of Mathematics, Budapest, Hungary, June 5–26, 2004 / David A. Ellwood ...[et al.], editors. p. cm. — (Clay mathematics proceedings, ISSN 1534-6455 ; v. 5) ISBN 0-8218-3845-8 (alk. paper) 1. Low-dimensional topology—Congresses. 2. Symplectic geometry—Congresses. 3. Homol- ogy theory—Congresses. 4. Gauge fields (Physics)—Congresses. I. Ellwood, D. (David), 1966– II. Title. III. Series. QA612.14.C55 2004 514.22—dc22 2006042815 Copying and reprinting. Material in this book may be reproduced by any means for educa- tional and scientific purposes without fee or permission with the exception of reproduction by ser- vices that collect fees for delivery of documents and provided that the customary acknowledgment of the source is given. -
AFFINE HECKE ALGEBRAS and THEIR GRADED VERSION 0.1. Let
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY Volume 2, Number 3, July 1989 AFFINE HECKE ALGEBRAS AND THEIR GRADED VERSION GEORGE LUSZTIG Dedicated to Sir Michael Atiyah on his sixtieth birthday INTRODUCTION 0.1. Let Hvo be an affine Hecke algebra with parameter Vo E C* assumed to be of infinite order. (The basis elements ~ E Hvo corresponding to simple reflections s satisfy (~+ 1)(Ts - v~C(s») = 0, where c(s) EN depend on s and are subject only to c(s) = c(s') whenever s, Sf are conjugate in the affine Weyl group.) Such Hecke algebras appear naturally in the representation theory of semisimple p-adic groups, and understanding their representation theory is a question of considerable interest. Consider the "special case" where c(s) is independent of s and the coroots generate a direct summand. In this "special case," the question above has been studied in [I] and a classification of the simple modules was obtained. The approach of [1] was based on equivariant K-theory. This approach can be attempted in the general case (some indications are given in [5, 0.3]), but there appear to be some serious difficulties in carrying it out. 0.2. On the other hand, in [5] we introduced some algebras H,o' depending on a parameter roE C , which are graded analogues of Hvo . The graded algebras H '0 are in many respects simpler than Hvo' and in [5] the representation theory of H,o is studied using equivariant homology. Moreover, we can make the machinery of intersection cohomology work for us in the study of H '0 ' while in the K-theory context of Hvo it is not clear how to do this. -
Arxiv:1311.6429V2 [Math.AG]
QUASI-HAMILTONIAN REDUCTION VIA CLASSICAL CHERN–SIMONS THEORY PAVEL SAFRONOV Abstract. This paper puts the theory of quasi-Hamiltonian reduction in the framework of shifted symplectic structures developed by Pantev, To¨en, Vaqui´eand Vezzosi. We compute the symplectic structures on mapping stacks and show how the AKSZ topological field theory defined by Calaque allows one to neatly package the constructions used in quasi- Hamiltonian reduction. Finally, we explain how a prequantization of character stacks can be obtained purely locally. 0. Introduction 0.1. This paper is an attempt to interpret computations of Alekseev, Malkin and Mein- renken [AMM97] in the framework of shifted symplectic structures [PTVV11]. Symplectic structures appeared as natural structures one encounters on phase spaces of classical mechanical systems. Classical mechanics is a one-dimensional classical field theory and when one goes up in the dimension shifted, or derived, symplectic structures appear. That is, given an n-dimensional classical field theory, the phase space attached to a d- dimensional closed manifold carries an (n−d−1)-shifted symplectic structure. For instance, if d = n − 1 one gets ordinary symplectic structures and for d = n, i.e. in the top dimension, one encounters (−1)-shifted symplectic spaces. These spaces can be more explicitly described as critical loci of action functionals. ∼ An n-shifted symplectic structure on a stack X is an isomorphism TX → LX [n] between the tangent complex and the shifted cotangent complex together with certain closedness conditions. Symplectic structures on stacks put severe restrictions on the geometry: for instance, a 0-shifted symplectic derived scheme is automatically smooth.