International Conference Symmetries in Mathematics and Physics II

This award supports the participation of junior US researchers in the international conference 'Symmetries in Mathematics and Physics II,' held at the Instituto Nacional de Matematica Pura e Aplicada (IMPA) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during June 24-28, 2013. The conference features approximately twenty plenary speakers who are world-class researchers, including three Fields medal recipients. This is the second installment of an international conference on the role played by symmetry in mathematics and theoretical physics. The first such conference was held in Cortona, Italy in 2008. The talks involve many aspects of representation theory and especially the geometric approaches and connections to physics. In particular, the following subjects will be discussed: quantum groups, Lie superalgebras, W-algebras, chiral algebras, invariant theory, Jordan algebras, toroidal algebras, Poisson algebras, integrable systems, geometric Langlands program, Gromov-Witten invariants, Donaldson-Thomas invariants, Springer resolutions, Koszul duality, motivic integration, conformal nets, quantum field theory, string theory, and more. The conference web page with the latest updated information is located at http://www.impa.br/opencms/pt/eventos/store/evento_1301

The notion of symmetry has long played a fundamental role in both mathematics and physics. For example, the solvability of an algebraic equation in terms of radicals depends on the symmetries of the set of roots. The existence of symmetry in a physical system implies the conservation of energy, momentum or other quantities. In modern mathematics, symmetries are investigated in the branch of Algebra called Representation Theory. It is a thriving area with many applications and connections to other parts of mathematics and theoretical physics. This conference will gather leading mathematicians and physicists working in the field.