BRIDGES

Building Relationships for an Inclusive and Diverse Group of Emerging Students

May 20-22, 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah

This conference is aimed towards early graduate students and advanced undergraduate students interested in representation theory, number theory, and commutative algebra.

The goal of this conference is to:

  • Foster a sense of community amongst underrepresented groups in mathematics,
  • Introduce possible research areas,
  • Expose the participants to role models and possible mentors.

We are hoping to provide funding for travel and accommodation for 40 participants, priority will be given to participants from underrepresented groups. To be considered for funding please register before January 31st, 2020.

This conference is part of the RTG: Algebra, Geometry and Topology at the University of Utah funded by the NSF RTG grant #1840190

Schedule

This is a tenative schedule and is subject to change.

Time Description Room
Wednesday, May 20th
8:00-8:30 Welcome/Check-In.
8:30-9:30 First lecture.
9:45-10:45 Second lecture.
11:00-12:00 Third lecture.
2:00-3:30 Discussion sessions.
4:00-5:30 Poster session.
Thursday, May 21st
8:30-9:30 First lecture.
9:45-10:45 Second lecture.
11:00-12:00 Third lecture.
2:00-3:30 Discussion sessions.
4:00-5:00 Panel.
6:00-8:00 Social gathering.
Friday, May 22nd
8:30-9:30 First lecture.
9:45-10:45 Second lecture.
11:00-12:00 Third lecture.
12:00-12:15 Closing.

Speakers

Wei Ho

Wei Ho

My main research interests lie in number theory, algebraic geometry, and representation theory. I particularly like arithmetic questions that arise from thinking about classical algebraic geometry from a different angle.
Current position: Associate Professor, University of Michigan
Having had a negative experience in middle school math competitions, I decided to *definitely not* become serious about math in high school and college. By the end of my freshman year of college, however, I realized that all my favorite topics in my classes were the most mathematical: quantum mechanics, symmetry groups in inorganic chemistry, game theory. After working in an organic chemistry lab for the summer, I also found out that I was so clumsy that I might blow myself up if I continued in a lab science. So during my sophomore year, I took (and enjoyed) some more math classes and switched by the end of the year. I spent the rest of my undergraduate years feeling like I was playing catch-up to the "real" math majors who had taken the hardest freshman math sequence, but I eventually realized that starting a year—or even many years—later does not matter and there is no "right" path.

Eloísa Grifo

Eloísa Grifo

I am a commutative algebraist at the University of California, Riverside. I grew up in Portugal, where I went to college and first fell in love with commutative algebra. I moved to the US in 2013, got my PhD at the University of Virginia, and was a postdoc at the University of Michigan. I'm spending this academic year visiting the University of Utah.

Aaron Pollack

Aaron Pollack

I am interested in algebraic number theory, specifically automorphic forms, their arithmetic, and their L-functions. Nowadays, I think a lot about modular forms on exceptional groups. I received my Ph.D. from Princeton University in 2014, then was an NSF postdoc at Stanford in 2014-2017 and a member at the IAS in 2017-2018. I am now faculty at Duke University.

Registration

Funding is available for undergraduate and graduate students.
For funded participants we will book rooms at the University of Utah Guest House and we reimburse flights up to $400. Meals will not be reimbursed.
If you require child care, please contact us.
To be considered for funding you have to fill out the registration form until January 31st, 2020. Registration will be open until May 1st, 2020.

Local

Travel

Salt Lake International airport is the closest airport. It is conveniently located a 25 minute drive from the University of Utah. From the airport there are several options to reach the University Guest House. The cheapest option is to take Trax, Utah's light rail system. From the airport, take the green line until courthouse station. Then transfer to the red line to the University Medical Center. Please be aware that Trax usually stops running around 11pm. The other option for transportation is either by Taxi or Uber/Lyft.

Accommodations

All funded participants will be staying at the University Guest House.

Food

There are several options for food around University of Utah:

  • Student union.
  • Restaurants on 1300 E, for example Indochine, Subway, B&D burgers, the Pie.
  • Food trucks outside of the library.
  • Cafe in the art museum.

It also possible to take a short Trax ride downtown where there is a variety of food available.

Wifi

If you are affiliated with a College or University you can use the eduroam network using your login from your instution. Alternatively you can log onto the network UGuest following the instructions.

Activities in and around Salt Lake City

  • Hiking. The living room trail can be hiked from the guest house.
  • Natural history museum.
  • Great Salt Lake: Antelope Island State Park is about an hour drive away.

Organizers

For the organization of this conference we created a committee in the AWM student chapter at the University of Utah.

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: bridges@math.utah.edu