The Legacy of Daniel Quillen: K-Theory And Homotopical Algebra

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology will host a conference, October 6--8, 2012, celebrating the mathematical impact and legacy of the late Daniel Quillen. The conference will bring together researchers in the many areas of current actvity that Quillen either founded or profoundly influenced, including algebraic K-theory, cyclic homology, rational homotopy theory, abstract homotopy theory, group cohomology, and modular representation theory. There well be thirteen main talks, leaving ample time for interaction among participants. The diverse topics covered by this conference are united by the vision of their creator, and we anticipate that the conference will result in fruitful collaborations as they reconnect. Every effort will be made to bring together researchers otherwise separated by geography, age and rank, and field. Daniel Quillen (1940--2011) was one of the of the greatest American mathematicians. A winner of the Fields Medal (the highest award given in the field) in 1978, Quillen had a deep and unique insight into the nature of mathematics. He established the foundations of two major branches of mathematics now being pursued by hundreds of mathematicans around the world today - algebraic K-theory and abstract homotopy theory - and profoundly influenced the development of several other fields. With some two hundred participants expected, this three-day conference will hear from leading researchers in these areas and bring them together with young and aspiring mathematicians from the US and abroad. A significant portion of the grant will guarantee that otherwise unfunded or underfunded young researchers can attend and to ensure the participation of women and traditionally underrepresented minority populations. The accessibility of the conference will be augmented by the creation of a web page which will distribute the contents of the presentations on the internet. http://math.mit.edu/quillen/