ATMW Advanced workshop and Discussion on Symplectic Geometry and Contact Topology (2014)

Venue: TIFR, Mumbai
Dates: 15th to 22nd Dec, 2014

 

Convener(s) Speakers, Syllabus and Time table Applicants/Participants

 

School Convener(s)

Name Ravi Rao Indranil Biswas Mahan Mj
Mailing Address -- -- --

 

Speakers and Syllabus 

Brief write up about the workshop

The field of symplectic and contact geometry and topology is currently a very active area of mathematical research. It is intertwined with many other areas of mathematics and even mathematical physics, such as Hamiltonian Dynamics and Geometric Optics, low-dimensional topology, Algebraic Geometry, the theory of integrable systems, and the mathematical theory of Mirror Symmetry to name a few. In the last three decades, since the area emerged as a separate subject, there were found many new powerful methods, such as the introduced by M.Gromov theory of holomorphic curves led to creation of Gromov-Witten theory and the Floer homology theory in its different flavors. As a result, several outstanding problems in Hamiltonian Dynamics, e.g. Arnold’s and Weinstein’s conjectures were solved, and a link to the Mirror Symmetry theory was found.

A detailed proposal about how the the discussion meeting will take place and emphasizing the national need for having such a discussion meeting

While there are many young Indian mathematicians and graduate students who are interested in learning this subject, this area, unfortunately, is not very popular in India. The proposed Advanced School and Discussion meeting is designed to change the sutuation and facilitate the research in this area in India. The main part of the program will take place in TIFR, Mumbai from December 15 to December 22. During this period there will be given several intensive lecture courses oriented to graduate students, postdocs and other mathematicians interested in learning this important area. The lectures will be given by leading specialists in symplectic topology and related areas of mathematics, such as Dusa McDuff (Columbia), Kenji Fukaya (SCGP), Ko Honda (UCLA), and three Stanford mathematicians: Soren Galatius, Sheel Ganatra and Yakov Eliashberg. A preparatory meeting for the workshop will be organized at HRI, Allahabad, during the period December 1–13, 2014. Symplectic geometry has always been a very important topic in mathematics. Traditionally very large part of the interactions between mathematics and theoretical physics has been via symplectic geometry. The topic of symplectic geometry, and its role as a platform for interactions between mathematics and theoretical physics,were elevated by a level after the appearance in 1986 of the seminal paper of Gromov on symplectic geometry.
The subjects Quantum cohomology and Gromov-Witten theory were born.Since early nineties, symplectic geometry is witnessed a very high level of activity, which continues unabated till the present day. Yakov Elaishberg, who is one of the leaders in symplectic geometry, came up, during his recent visit to India, with a proposal to organize a workshop in TIFR on symplectic geometry. he has now completed the initial important work of getting consents form some world experts to lecture in the workshop.

December 15–22 will be an intensive workshop along with discussions.

The Advanced School

sr. Name Affiliation Topic
1 Dusa McDuff Columbia U, USA Introduction to Gromov-Witten theory
2 Kenji Fukaya U. Kyoto, Japan Introduction to Lagrangian Floer Theory
3 Vincent Colin Nantes, France Heegaard Floer homology and embedded contact homology
4 Soren Galatius Stanford U., USA Topology of moduli spaces
5 Yasha Eliashberg Stanford U., USA Geometric methods in symplectic and contact topology
6 Sheel Ganatra Stanford U., USA Introduction to homological mirror symmetry

 

Time Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Venue
  Dec15 Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20  
10:00-11:00 DM DM DM KF KF KF AG66
11:00-11:30 BRUNCH East Canteen
11:30-12:30 VC VC VC SG1 SG1 SG1 AG66
12:30-2:30 LUNCH Almond Grove
2:00-3:00 YK YK YK SG2 SG2 SG2 AG66
3:00-3:30 TEA  
3:30-5:30 D I S C U S S I O N AG69

Note: There are only Discussions on Monday, December 22, 2014 during 10.00-12.00 as a continuation of this discussion meeting. It will be in AG 69.

Selected Applicants/Participants

N/A

 


How To Reach

  •  From Airports

 45-90 minutes by taxi.

 From the international and domestic airports

 Pre-paid taxis are the recommended way of reaching TIFR from Mumbai's airports. There are counters for pre-paid taxis before you exit the arrival hall. Specify your destination as "Navy Nagar, Colaba".

 You will be given a receipt for your payment. Retain this till the end of your ride; then hand it over to the taxi driver. At the exit from the airport, the police may want to look at this slip.

 

  • From Railway Stations

 From CST
20-30 mins by taxi.

 Taxis are available from the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). They charge by meter.  Alternatively, one can board buses to Navy Nagar (bus terminal) from outside the local railway station at CST. TIFR is on the same road as the Navy Nagar bus terminus, which is where you should get off.

 

  • From Mumbai Central

 30-45 mins by taxi.

 Taxis are available from the ranks outside the railway station. Alternatively, you could cross over to the local railway station and board a Churchgate bound local. You have to buy a separate ticket for the local train. Taxis are available from outside Churchgate. Alternately, a bus (route 137) comes from Churchgate to the Navy Nagar bus terminus, down the road from TIFR.