Conference: Ramification in algebra and geometry

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This grant provides support for the conference "Ramification inAlgebra and Geometry" to be held at Emory University, 16-20 May 2011.This conference is primarily focused on the interaction betweenalgebra, geometry, and number theory within the following thematicareas: the arithmetic of linear algebraic groups and homogeneousspaces, cohomological invariants, essential dimension, divisionalgebras and the Brauer group, Chow groups and motivic decomposition,generic Galois extensions, and Brauer-Manin obstructions.This conference brings together international experts and juniorresearchers working in these areas. The unifying theme isramification. The geometric notion of ramification is familiar toanyone who has seen a screw (helicoid): looking along the length of ascrew, the central axis--where all the threads meet--is where thescrew is "ramified." Off the central axis, the screw is not ramified:a laser beam passing through the threads parallel to the central axispierces only distinct sheets of metal. Here, the ramificationdistinguishes a screw (helicoid) from a spring (helix). Abstractionsof this concept have proved fundamental in many areas of mathematics;this conference will focus on some of the recent applications inalgebra and geometry.