Algebraic Combinatorixx (11w5025)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Algebraic Combinatorixx" workshop from May 22nd to May 27th, 2011.

Algebraic combinatorics is a broad area of research with substantial connections to representation theory, mathematical physics, algebraic geometry, number theory, knots and links, mathematical biology, statistical mechanics, symmetric functions, and invariant theory. The goal of this five-day workshop is to increase and strengthen the participation of women in algebraic combinatorics and related fields of research.

It is anticipated that half of the participants will be early career (pre-tenure or recently tenured) women faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, or graduate students working in combinatorics. The workshop will pair senior and junior researchers and have a major mentoring component. There will be survey lectures on the latest research developments given by more-established researchers and shorter talks by junior faculty members introducing their own work to the group. We expect that roughly half the time (afternoons and evenings) will be spent working in smaller groups organized by research interests, where actual research problems will be discussed. Some of these problems and topics will be proposed ahead of time along with relevant references so that participants can arrive prepared for discussions on these subjects. The conference will conclude with reports from these groups on the problem sessions. This approach fosters collaboration and introduces researchers to a broad range of ideas, techniques, and experiences.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).