This project is concerned with the theory of finite group actions on noncommutative rings. The principal investigator will study automorphism groups of rings, and more generally the actions of Hopf algebras. The specific topics include a generalized Picard group for prime rings as well as conditions for the skew group ring to be prime. The postdoctoral associate will study actions of algebraic groups on associative algebras. This project is in the general area of ring theory. A ring is an algebraic object having both an addition and a multiplication defined on it. Rings are of interest in physics and computer science as well as many branches of mathematics.
