23/08/2019

IMPA promotes School of Symplectic Topology

Mathematician Ailsa Macgregor Keating, from the University of Cambridge (England), gave a lecture on Fukaya category and mirror symmetry, this Thursday (22), in the Ricardo Mañé auditorium, at IMPA. The presentation is part of the program of the School of Symplectic Topology , which began this Monday (19) and ends today (23).

Promoted by IMPA, the event is part of the thematic semester on symplectic and Poisson geometry. The objective is to contribute to the development of the field in Brazil, encouraging collaboration between Brazilian and foreign researchers, as well as the training of masters and doctoral students.

“The School is very important because it is a way to prepare participants, especially students, for the lectures that will be given at the International Conference on Symplectic Topology , which will take place from August 26 to 30,” said Vinicius Ramos, adjunct researcher at IMPA and member of the event's organizing and scientific committee.

For the first time in Rio de Janeiro, Ailsa is part of the group of 20 researchers who will present their work at the conference. In her lecture this Thursday, she spoke about symplectic varieties.

“One of the reasons why symplectic varieties are so interesting is because there is a natural mathematical correspondence with complex varieties, which are basically defined by polynomial equations,” Ailsa pointed out in an interview with IMPA.

Besides being interested in the area because it is relatively new within geometry and topology, with many basic questions that have not yet been understood, the researcher says that she is also fascinated by the various connections with other fields, especially Theoretical Physics.

Focused on issues within the world of Pure Mathematics, Ailsa highlights the importance of investment in this area.

"It is very clear that Applied Mathematics is extremely important for everyday life. On the other hand, if you look at all the Pure Mathematics that we knew around 1920 and 1950, almost all of it is being applied today. Even things that, at the time, were thought to have no use."

The researcher also addressed the issue of gender diversity in mathematics. “The reason there are fewer women in the field is also social. I think it's a shame because mathematics is excellent and it seems we are missing opportunities. But many efforts are being made to encourage women to pursue scientific careers. In the last 15 years, there have been many changes, not necessarily in terms of numbers, but in people's attitudes, who are beginning to recognize the problem.”

In addition to Ailsa's lecture, the 52 participants of the event attended presentations by six researchers throughout the week. The courses can be watched on IMPA's YouTube channel . This Friday (23), Vinicius Ramos closes the lecture cycle, addressing the topic of immersed contact homology.

In addition to Ramos, the event's organizing and scientific committee includes Marta Batoréo (Federal University of Espírito Santo – UFES), Daniele Sepe (Federal Fluminense University – UFF), and Renato Vianna (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ).