The Illinois State University will be host to an international conference on vertex operator algebras and related areas on the occasion of Geoffrey Mason 60th?s Birthday. The conference will take place from July 7th, 2008 to July 11th, 2008. Approximately eighty participants are expected. There will be approximately 22 talks by prominent mathematicians and physicists and approximately 24 talks by rising young mathematicians. Among them, 8 talks will be given by female mathematicians.
The aim of the conference is to present some of the new developments in vertex operator algebras and related areas. The main aspects of this conference are connections and interactions of vertex operator algebras with physics, Hopf algebras, Infinite dimensional Lie algebras, group theory and number theory. A major part of the conference will focus on bringing leaders in the fields together with students, postdoctoral fellows and young academics in a stimulating, engaging and mentoring environment. This conference will provide opportunities for mathematicians and physicists in the areas to discuss the recent developments in the fields and the direction of future research. Graduate students and young researchers will gain better perspectives of what is going on and what the important problems are in these areas.
