University at Albany, College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

AMAT 840: Topics in Topology, Lie Groups, Spring 2013

Instructor

Prof. Marco Varisco, [email protected], www.albany.edu/~mv312143/
Office: ES-120C, Office Hours: by appointment.

Schedule

MWF 12:35–1:30 in ES-153.

Prerequisites

AMAT 520 & 540, or permission of instructor.

Description

Lie groups (i.e., groups that are also smooth manifolds, in such a way that the groups operations are smooth maps) provide the best-developed theory of continuous symmetries of mathematical objects and structures, making them indispensable tools for many parts of contemporary mathematics and modern theoretical physics (Wikipedia).

In this course, which will be driven by a variety of examples, we will learn the fundamental definitions and structure theorems of Lie groups, and then study and classify their representations. The interplay between topology, geometry, algebra, and analysis, which is at the core of the subject, makes Lie group theory fascinating and instructive.

Textbook

None — but the following book, which can be bought on Amazon.com for less than $20, is an excellent reference:

Grading

Biweekly homework assignments.


This syllabus is subject to change. All official announcements and assignments are given in class, and this web page may not be up to date.
Marco Varisco.