Alexander Braverman

Abstract:   I shall review some basic ideas and concepts behind the so called Langlands conjectures for reductive Lie groups, which play an important role in number theory, representation theory and (more recently) in mathematical physics. Then I shall try to convince the audience that many of those concepts should generalize to infinite-dimensional Lie groups (such as affine Kac-Moody groups, which are close cousins of loop groups). This part will mostly be based on the speaker's joint works with D.Kazhdan and M.Finkelberg as well as on an unpublished work by E.Witten.

Here are some directions to Northeastern University. Lake Hall and Nightingale Hall can be best accessed from the entrance on the corner of Greenleaf Street and Leon Street. The two halls are connected, with no well-defined boundary in between. In particular, 509 Lake Hall is on the same corridor as 544 Nightingale Hall.

There is free parking available for people coming to the Colloquium at Northeastern's visitor parking (Rennaisance Garage). The entrance is from Columbus Avenue. If coming by car, you should park there and take the parking talon. After the lecture, you may pick up the payment coupon from Andrei Zelevinsky.