This proposal is to provide funding for the series of meetings on Geometric Group Theory on the Gulf Coast (abbreviated G^3). The next conference will be held in Pensacola, FL on March 20-23rd of 2008. The last decade has seen intense interactions and cross-fertilization of geometric group theory with other parts of mathematics such as topological and geometric rigidity, noncommutative geometry, analysis and probability on group boundaries, geometry of discrete groups and symmetric spaces. These are separate fields yet they increasingly borrow techniques, examples, and insights from each other, and their richness and interplay feeds back to the geometric group theory, and provides strong motivation for its development. The intellectual goal of the conference is to assemble researchers from these neighboring fields, so they can share ideas and expertise while interacting with students and junior mathematicians.
The G^3 conference focuses on interactions of geometric group theory with other parts of mathematics. G^3 has been held annually since 1998 at various places on the Gulf Coast, and it has become an established and popular international meeting. Over the years a great many different people attended G^3, and it has become well-known for a unique friendly atmosphere which helped foster interactions of established and junior mathematicians, jump-start careers and collaborations, and build the sense of community in geometric group theory.