WOA: Women in Operator Algebras (18w5168)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "WOA: Women in Operator Algebras" workshop from November 4th to November 9th, 2018.

The study of operator algebras is a very active branch of functional analysis dealing with problems that are intrinsically infinite-dimensional. Such problems arise in quantum mechanics where, for example, a famous theorem of von Neumann says that the only solutions of Heisenberg's commutation relations are families of operators on an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. Operator algebras have a rich and remarkably rigid structure, and there is a powerful general theory which makes this precise and applicable. Over the past few decades, operator algebras have influenced diverse areas of mathematics, including number theory, harmonic analysis, knot theory, dynamical systems and ergodic theory.

Historically, the field of operator algebras has suffered from a severe gender imbalance, even compared to other fields of mathematics.

This workshop is aimed at women working in operator algebras and will be focussed on active collaborative research. This will in turn help to build a network to alleviate the feeling of isolation reported by women working in the area. Collaborations in groups of 5--7 will be managed by two expert co-leaders who will ensure that first stages of collaborations are established beforehand to maximise productivity at the workshop.

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).