Arithmetic Groups (13w5019)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Arithmetic Groups" workshop from April 14th to April 19th, 2013.

Group theory is the mathematical study of symmetric structures
(such as crystals) and repeating patterns (such as an infinitely
large checkerboard). Arithmetic groups are special groups whose
elements are matrices with integral entries. They play a crucial
role in many areas of mathematics, including algebra and various
parts of number theory (e.g., the theory of automorphic forms).
This notion has a long history, with roots in the 200-year-old
work of Gauss on integral quadratic forms. In recent years, new
applications of the theory have emerged in algebraic and
differential geometry, Lie groups, and combinatorics. The
workshop will bring together experts in the subject of
arithmetic groups, in order to advance our understanding of the
groups themselves, and to further develop the important
connections to other areas of mathematics.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).