This award supports the US-India Workshop on Teichmueller Theory and Moduli Problems at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Allahabad, India, January 5-15, 2006. The workshop will bring together leading mathematicians from the U.S. and India that are actively engaged in research on Teichmueller theory and moduli problems. The US and Indian communities represent two distinct mathematical traditions, one being the Ahlfors-Bers school that has developed the complex analytic approach to moduli problems, and the other the algebro-geometric tradition of moduli of vector bundles that has flourished in India. The workshop will introduce the Indian mathematics community to the complex analytic aspects of moduli problems, which were initiated by Teichmueller and further developed by Ahlfors, Bers and their students, several of whom will participate in this workshop. Since this approach has not taken root in India, the workshop will provide the exposure and engagement of Indian mathematicians in furthering developments in this field through international collaboration.
The HRI is India's premier institute for mathematics and physics with active research programs in differential and algebraic geometry, number theory, and string theory. Leading mathematicians from other Indian research centers-of-excellence will participate. The main goal is to connect scholars from both countries with similar interests, as a major step towards furthering joint research. Considering that Teichmueller theory has interesting applications in string theory and the HRI has a very active research group in this area, this will be an excellent opportunity for US participants interested in exploring the relationship between the two. Strong support is provided for the participation of young scientists and graduate students from the U.S. This activity is cofunded by India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the NSF-DST Joint Program.
