9311386 Katz This grant supports the research of Professor S. Katz to work in algebraic geometry. He will work on the mirror symmetry conjecture that arose from superstring theory. He will also continue to develop a computer algebra package for doing intersection computations. The research is in the field of algebraic geometry, one of the oldest parts of modern mathematics, but one which blossomed to the point where it has, in the past 10 years, solved problems that have stood for centuries. Originally, it treated figures defined in the plane by the simplest of equations, namely polynomials. Today, the field uses methods not only from algebra, but also from analysis and topology, and conversely it is extensively used in those fields. Moreover it has proved itself useful in fields as diverse as physics, theoretical computer science, cryptography, coding theory and robotics. ***
