Algebra Seminar
2008-2009
(Unless otherwise indicated, all talks are 10-11am at 9-118 Lambton Tower.)
15 September
Sandeep Bhargava (University of Windsor)
"gim algebras I"
Abstract
22 September
No seminar due to strike.
29 September
No seminar due to strike.
6 October
No seminar
13 October
Thanksgiving: No Seminar
20 October
Ivan Dimitrov (Queen's University)
"Weight modules over affine Lie algebras"
Abstract: The problem of classifying irreducible weight modules with
finite dimensional weight spaces over affine Lie algebras has been
studied actively for the last 20 years. Notable results include the
classification of integrable modules by V. Chari, the study of
parabolically induced modules by V. Futorny, and the study of
uniformly bounded modules by D. Britten and F. Lemire. Apart from
partial classification results, two important classes of irreducible
weight modules with finite dimensional weight spaces were singled
out. Roughly speaking, these are the parabolically induced modules
and the loop modules. Several authors made conjectures that would
imply that these exhaust all irreducible weight modules with finite
dimensional weight spaces. Dimitar Grantcharov and I recently proved
a theorem which confirms these conjectures and as a result completes
the classification. I will present the main ideas and results from
this work.
27 October
Sandeep Bhargava (University of Windsor)
"gim algebras II"
Abstract
3 November *This talk will be held in 2125 Erie Hall*
Ratnadha Kolhatkar (University of Ottawa)
"The Cancellation Problem for Varieties"
Abstract
10 November
Laura Hurajt (University of Windsor)
"Cartan Subalgebras"
Abstract: A finite dimensional semisimple Lie algebra g over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic zero can be decomposed into a direct sum of a Cartan subalgebra and a sum of root spaces. We will define what is a Cartan subalgebra and show how any two are unique up to conjugation under automorphisms of g. Finally, we will discuss the consequences of this result.
17 November
Sandeep Bhargava (University of Windsor)
"gim algebras III"
Abstract
24 November
Byung Chun (University of Windsor)
"The Weyl Character Formula"
Abstract
10 March
Martin Weismann (U.C. Santa Cruz)
"Exceptional groups and a backwards lifting"
Abstract: I will discuss ongoing work, relating the representation theory of G_2 over p-adic fields to the representation theory of classical groups (PGSp_6, in particular). In particular, I will introduce a not-so-well-known construction of the exceptional groups and dual pairs over arbitrary fields (of characteristic not equal to 2 or 3). I will discuss some details of the method of exceptional theta correspondences that enter into this work, especially focusing on "towers" of theta correspondences, periods, and L-functions.
24 March
Georgia Benkart (Wisconsin)
"Travels to Hyperbolic Space Starting from an sl(2) Base"
Abstract: This talk will focus on the Lie algebra
sl(2) of 2 x 2 matrices of trace zero and a choice of
basis for it that makes transparent connections with
the modular group, the braid group on 3 strands,
hyperbolic space, automorphisms of the
Poincare disk, buildings, a geometry
over the field of one element, and more.
31 March
Silvia Montarani (Toronto)
"Finite dimensional representations of symplectic reflection algebras associated to wreath products"
Abstract