This project provides funding to support the participation of US researchers in the two-week long research school Senegal Workshop on Geometric Structures and Control Theory that will be held at the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar (Senegal) from May 7 to May 18, 2012. The workshop will explore recent advances in symplectic geometry, contact geometry, sub-Riemannian geometry, as well as hyperbolic geometry, with a special emphasis on the interplay between all these aspects of geometry and applications to control theory. More information about the program can be found at the website: http://cimpadakar2012.ucad.sn/

The purpose of the meeting is to bring together experts and young researchers working in geometry and control theory. The workshop introduces graduate students and young researchers to current research topics in geometry and control theory. In addition, it provides an opportunity for international collaboration between researchers and encourage cross fertilization between different relevant topics.

Project Report

The research school on "Geometric Structures and Control Theory" has been held at the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar, Senegal, from May 7, to May 19, 2013. It was attended by 72 registered participants from Africa, Europe, America and Asia: Northern Africa (Egypt, Tunisia) , Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon), West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Togo, Senegal), Europe (France, England, Italy, Spain, Poland), USA, and India. About 10 percent of the participants were female. The main objective of the meeting is to provide a forum, where experts and young researchers in symplectic geometry, sub-Riemannian geometry and control theory can exchange ideas and have opportunities for future collaboration. The scientific program consist of seven mini-courses of four and half hours and one hour talks. The mini-courses were delivered by: Augustin Banyaga (Penn State University, USA): Symplectic geometry and some applications. Ugo Boscain (Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France): Introduction to sub-Riemannian geometry. Francoise Dal'Bo (Universit'e Renne 1, France): Hyperbolic geometry and Diophantine approximations. Bronislaw Jakubczyk (IMPAN, Poland): The geometry of ODEs, vector fields and distributions. Witold Respondek (INSA, Rouen, France): Introduction to the geometric theory of nonlinear control systems. Philippe Rukimbira (FIU, USA): Introduction to contact and Sasakian geometry. Aissa Wade (Penn State University, USA): Moment maps, Convexity theorems and Hamiltonian reduction. In addition, there were one-hour talks delivered by: Fernanda Alcade, (University of S. J. Compostel, Spain), Mirna Dzamonja (University of East Anglia Norwich, England), Janusz Grabowski (IMPAN , Poland,) David Hurtubise (Penn State, USA), Philippe Jouan (University of Rouen, France), Stefan Muller (Penn State and KIAS), Philibert Nang (ENS Libreville, Gabon), Peter Spaeth (Penn State and KIAS). The workshop has significant effects and impacts: there was a lot of discussions during the conference and there were many exchanges between researchers from different areas of geometry and control theory. All four and half hour lectures ended with open questions. Some lecture notes were available for graduate students.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1208297
Program Officer
Christopher Stark
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2015-04-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$28,185
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
University Park
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
16802