The Topology of Algebraic Varieties @ IAS in 2014–15

UPDATE: This post will not be updated further. For more up-to-date information about the IAS year, see the Princeton 2014–15 tab above or see the (unofficial) website for the program.

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ORIGINAL POST: Claire Voisin and I will organize a special year at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton on “The Topology of Algebraic Varieties”.

Those interested are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications should be sent directly to the Institute for Advanced Study, using either the Institute’s web site or MathJobs. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2013. Decisions about membership are made by the Institute; please contact them directly if you have questions about the deadline or an application.

The Institute offers many positions at the postdoctoral level, but also hosts mathematicians at all stages of their careers. Some mathematicians receive funding from their home institutions, foundations or governments, while others are supported by the Institute. The Institute mostly supports people who stay either for the full year or for one semester (fall or spring), but others may be interested in attending one of two week-long workshops:

October 13–17, 2014: Fundamental groups and periods.

March 9–13, 2015: Chow groups, motives, and derived categories.

Some people have already decided to be there for several months at least: Chenyang Xu (fall), Moritz Kerz (spring), Carlos Simpson, Bruno Klingler, Patrick Brosnan, and Madhav Nori.

The title of the program is meant to be interpreted broadly. One main theme is the study of the topology of a complex algebraic variety, with Hodge theory as the most powerful method. Another is the study of algebraic varieties over an arbitrary field using etale cohomology and other cohomology theories. A major goal in both theories is to understand algebraic cycles on a given variety. This includes some enormous problems where, nonetheless, progress is being made: the Hodge conjecture, the Tate conjecture, the Bloch–Beilinson conjecture, and so on. The program intends to bring a mix of people interested in various aspects of the subject: motives, K-theory, Chow groups, periods, fundamental groups, derived categories, and so on.