The 2011 Maine/Quebec Number Theory Conference will take place on October 1 & 2 at the University of Maine in Orono. This conference is held annually, at l'Universite Laval in Quebec in even years and at the University of Maine in odd years. By providing a forum for number theorists from New England, Quebec, and beyond to present and discuss their research, the conference promotes interaction and collaboration between Canadian and American number theorists.
This year the featured topic at the conference is Arithmetic and p-adic Dynamics. This is a relatively new line of research in number theory that brings ideas from the classical theory of dynamical systems to the setting of algebraic varieties over number fields and local fields. Several of the architects of this field will lecture on the broad themes of the subject, the latest results, and possibilities for future development. There will also be invited speakers addressing other important areas of number theory, with 25-30 speakers in all. The small scale of the meeting (with around 60 attendees) makes this a good opportunity for graduate students and young mathematicians to interact with leading researchers.
Number Theory, the study of the integers, is one of the oldest branches of mathematics. Although it is viewed as part of pure math, advances in this area continue to provide the theoretical basis for numerous important applications, including cryptography, and consequently, national security. The Maine/Québec Number Theory Conference is held annually in Québec City at Laval University (even years) and at the University of Maine (odd years). Since its inception in 1998, its scope has grown considerably, with speakers coming from around the world. However the primary purpose of the conference is to enhance and support the important research in number theory that is being carried out in New England and eastern Canada. In this respect, it continues to be a unique cross-cultural regional event. By providing a friendly and welcoming environment, the conference has also become an important venue for graduate students and junior faculty to speak about their work, learn about new developments, and make connections with other mathematicians. Such activity helps to ensure continued growth and interest in the field. This grant was used in support of the 13th annual meeting, held at the University of Maine on October 1-2, 2011. The funding was used for hotel rooms and travel expenses for participants, as well as for printing the 2011 conference poster. The scientific program consisted of 37 speakers, including 4 women, 7 graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students. In all, there were 59 participants, 23 of whom were graduate students from Brown University, Dartmouth College, Laval University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Maine, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Georgia, the University of Rochester, and Wesleyan University. The complete list of participants and the schedule of lectures with abstracts can be found on the conference website. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the National Science Foundation, its staff, and the American taxpayers for providing this generous support, without which this successful conference would not have been possible.
