Programme (All timings are to be confirmed and will be in BST)
Welcome
Aitken Lecture by Lisa Orloff Clark (Victoria University of Wellington)
Equivalence relations, topology and C*-algebras
Abstract: C*-algebras provide the mathematical underpinnings of quantum mechanics. They have a rich theory that has been developed over the last century. In 1943, Gelfand and Naimark showed that every C*-algebra is isomorphic to a subalgebra of operators on a Hilbert space. So, in the finite dimensional setting, the study of C*-algebras is essentially the study of matrices. Yet even with this powerful theorem, an abstract C*-algebra can be a complicated beast and understanding basic properties can be difficult. In this talk we describe how to build a C*-algebra from an equivalence relation so that one can see properties of the algebra by looking at properties of the equivalence relation. To get a robust class of C*-algebras in this way, we will consider equivalence relations on topological spaces. This talk will include several examples and assumes no C*-algebraic background.
Questions and Close
Registration: If you would like to attend the Aitken Lecture at Durham, please contact the local organiser Jack Shotton.
Travel/Caring Grants to attend the Aitken Lectures.
Travel/Caring grants of up to £50 to support attending the Aitken Lectures at Durham are available to mathematicians who are based at neighbouring universities to Durham and would require financial support.
If you require support, please complete the application form as soon as you can and at least 3 working days before the Aitken Lecture you wish to attend. Please note that there are limited funds available and so grants may be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you have any queries, please email lmsmeetings@lms.ac.uk
Aitken Lectureship
In 2009, the London Mathematical Society and New Zealand Mathematical Society agreed to set up a new lectureship which is named after Professor A. Aitken, one of New Zealand’s great mathematicians.
The Aitken Lectureship occurs every two years (in even-numbered years) when a mathematician from New Zealand is invited by both Societies to give lectures at different universities around the UK over a period of several weeks.
Aitken Lecturer 2022
Professor Lisa Orloff Clark (Victoria University of Wellington) is the sixth holder of the Aitken Lectureship. She will visit the UK from 11 June - 2 July 2022 and give the Aitken Lecture at the General Meeting of the Society on 1 July 2022. She will also give lectures at departments around the UK, including:
- QUB (14 June)
- Durham (22 June)
- Aberystwyth (24 June)