From June 3-7, 2013, the international conference ``Ergodic Theory with Connections to Arithmetic" will be held at the University of Crete in Heraklion, Greece. In the last ten years, ergodic theory has developed and spread into new directions. New applications of ergodic theory have developed, techniques have been imported to the subject, and multiple connections have been developed with other areas of mathematics. Particularly strong connections with combinatorics and number theory have been developed, leading to an explosion of activity. In addition to focusing on recent developments and new open problems, the meeting will bring together mathematicians that use ergodic theory to solve problems in combinatorics and number theory.
This grant will support participation in the conference for mathematicians based in the United States. It is expected that most world experts in ergodic theory with a combinatorial or number theoretic flavor will be present at this conference, as well as numerous more junior Israeli and European participants. As such, it represents a unique opportunity to make new connections and progress in ergodic theory. It will be of substantial benefit to the US participants in terms of stimulating international collaboration and enhancing the advancement of US mathematics. Graduate students, junior faculty, and underrepresented groups in mathematics who do not have access to other travel funds will be given priority for funding.
From June 3-7, 2013, an international conference on ergodic theory and combinatorics was held at the University of Crete in Heraklion, Greece. In the last ten years, ergodic theory has developed and spread into new directions. New applications of ergodic theory have developed, techniques have been imported to the subject, and multiple connections have been developed with other areas of mathematics, in particular combinatorics and number theory. This conference surveyed these results, with an eye towards developments over the next ten years. The main scientific themes covered were recurrence and rigidity phenomena in ergodic theory, convergence theorems in ergodic theory, homogeneous dynamics, and interactions of ergodic theory with combinatorics and number theory. The meeting expanded the research activities in ergodic theory and closely related fields, bringing together researchers in different areas to solve similar problems and strengthening the cooperation between groups working in different physical locations.The conference made recent advances in ergodic theory better known and was an excellent opportunity to discuss open problems. Funding from the National Science Foundation was used to bring researchers located at institutions in the United States to the conference. The emphasis in allocation of funding was on junior participants, particularly those without access to other sources of funding. The conference was an opportunity for US participants to make new connections and be involved in future progress in ergodic theory, aiding in stimulating international collaboration and in enhancing the advancement of mathematics in the United States.
