ALGECOM (algebra-geometry-combinatorics) is a series of one-day conferences that have occurred biannually since Fall 2009. The first funded conference is scheduled for April 28, 2012 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The main goal is promotion of collaboration and regular interaction among midwest students and faculty. Non-local senior mathematicians will be invited, enhancing the intellectual content of the series. This will contribute towards building ALGECOM into a longstanding tradition in the midwest. Each session of ALGECOM consists of four talks. A relatively light schedule of talks emphasizes the desire for ample opportunity for informal interaction. Since its inception, ALGECOM has alternated between Purdue University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis. NSF funds will support rotation of ALGECOM to other midwest institutions. This will broaden the reach of the series.
Conference series of similar scientific content exist on either coast, e.g., the BADMATH day in the Bay Area, and the NSF funded Triangle lecture series in the Raleigh-Durham area. We believe that the success of these excellent series can be replicated in the midwest. We will continue to encourage the attendance of graduate students, recent graduates, and untenured faculty. There are ongoing efforts to recruit participants and speakers in a diverse manner. These efforts are enhanced by NSF support, since it will be possible to fund individuals from a geographically larger region.
Information about the conference series can be found at the conference website: http://sites.google.com/site/algecomday/
Dissemination of research at the border of algebra, geometry and combinatorics is the basic intellectual merit of the series. There are a wealth of Midwest departments with individually small ALGECOM related research groups. Collectively these groups were brought together in a fruitful way via ALGECOM. These one day conferences provide the seed for research collaboration among these groups. NSF funding is that it has allowed us to increase both the number and the diversity of ALGECOM attendees. In particular, we we have been able to attract * individuals (both speakers and students) from a larger geographic region: including Arizona, California, Georgia, New York State, Texas, among others; * under-represented minority groups and women * a wider range of institutions: Loyola, DePaul and the University of Michiganhave joined as primary members of the ALGECOM steering committee, along side the original members of UIUC, Purdue and IUPUI. The following meetings have been supported during the duration of the grant * Fall 2014: DePaul University in Chicago * Spring 2013: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign * Fall 2013: Loyola University in Chicago * Spring 2012: IUPUI * Fall 2012: Purdue University * Spring 2011: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign In summary, NSF support has greatly improved the scope, reach and impact of this conference series. This contributes to the nation's development of research and education in higher mathematics.
