Conference on "Conformal maps, probability and physics"

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

The discovery of Oded Schramm's Stocastic-Loewner-Equation (SLE), which is also referred to as Schramm-Loewner-Evolution, in 1999 led to an enormous activity in probability theory, statistical physics, and conformal mapping. SLE gave mathematicians a tool to verify numerous predictions from theoretical physics,such as Mandelbrots conjecture. At the same time, it gave physicists a deeper understanding of interfaces that appear in critical two-dimensional lattice models, such as self-avoiding walks. An international conference "Conformal maps from probability and physics", centered around theses developments,will be held in Ascona, Switzerland, May 23-28, 2010. The proposal requests partial travel support for U.S. participants to attend thismeeting. The intellectual merit of the proposal lies in the discovery of connections between related but different fields of mathematics and physics. Funds will be used with priority to support the participation of researchers without current NSF support, in particular graduate students and junior faculty. The broader impact consists of the exchange of ideas of researchers from various disciplines, the training of graduate and post-graduate students, and the strengthening across continents of research ties between loosely connected groups.