2020 Geometry Day | UConn Geometry Day

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation and UConn Math Department, this annual event is aimed at a general math audience. It will bring leading experts in differential geometry to UConn.

The distinguished lectures this year will be given by Professor Helmut Hofer (Institute for Advanced Study) . The social events during the day include a reception and the Geometry Café, a panel discussion with students and junior researchers in a casual atmosphere.

Students and researchers in math and related fields are all welcome to attend!

Professor Helmut Hofer delivered the distinguished lecture on Geometry Day.
Professor Helmut Hofer discussed Poincare's fundamental contributions in mathematics that led to the development of various branches of mathematics.
Professor Helmut Hofer discussed how theories in symplectic geometry and dynamical system were applied in space missions. The figure shows different trajectories of a spacecraft from the earth to the moon with different fuel efficiency.
Professor Helmut Hofer discussed the interconnections of geometry and celestial mechanics.
Discussion during reception
Discussion during reception
Discussion during reception
Discussion during reception
Discussion during reception
During Geometry Cafe, Professor Hofer shared his stories and experiences of his research career and answered questions from participants on job applications at different stages of professional careers.
Professor Joe McKenna (left) and Professor Helmut Hofer
The participants of Geometry Cafe.

Thursday, March 5th, 2020

3-3:30 PM Reception
Gentry Building, Room 144 (Map and direction)

3:30-4:30 PM Distinguished Lecture
Gentry Building, Room 131 (Map and direction)

Title: Symplectic Dynamics
Abstract: This talk is about the emerging field of Symplectic Dynamics, which is a very successful combination of Symplectic Geometry/Topology and Dynamical Systems Theory. Although it is difficult to give a precise definition of this field, it is not difficult to give examples demonstrating how integrated ideas from both fields answer nontrivial questions. The modern theory of Dynamical Systems and the field of Symplectic Geometry emerged from Poincaré’s integrated viewpoint of Mathematics, but then developed independently. However, in the last twenty years these different mathematical streams started to merge, resulting in new viewpoints. This talk, aiming at a general mathematical audience, will describe this development and will mention some of the achievements and open problems.

5:30-6PM Geometry Cafe, followed by Food & Beverage Hour
Monteith Building

Geometry Cafe is a Q&A session with Professor Hofer in a casual setting.

To participate Geometry Cafe and/or Food & Beverage Hour, please complete the registration form by February 23.

Biography

Professor Helmut Hofer received his Ph.D. from the University of Zurich in 1981. He is currently a faculty member at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He received a Sloan Fellowship in 1987, and gave invited addresses at the ICM’s in Kyoto (1990) and Berlin (1998). He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Academia Europaea, and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He works in symplectic geometry/topology, dynamical systems and partial differential equations.