Home /  Hot Topics: Contact structures, dynamics and the Seiberg-Witten equations in dimension 3

Workshop

Hot Topics: Contact structures, dynamics and the Seiberg-Witten equations in dimension 3 June 09, 2008 - June 13, 2008
Registration Deadline: May 31, 2008 over 16 years ago
To apply for Funding you must register by: March 09, 2008 over 16 years ago
Parent Program: --
Series: Hot Topic
Organizers Helmut Hofer, Michael Hutchings, Peter Kronheimer, Tom Mrowka and Cliff Taubes
Speaker(s)

Show List of Speakers

Description
This workshop will concentrate on recently discovered relationships between Seiberg-Witten theory and contact geometry on 3 dimensional manifolds. One consequence of these relationships is a proof of the Weinstein conjecture in dimension 3. Another is an isomorphism between the Seiberg-Witten Floer (co)homology and embedded contact homology, the latter a form of Floer homology that was defined by Michael Hutchings. The over arching plan is to introduce the salient features of both the contact geometry side of the story and the Seiberg-Witten side, and then discuss how they are related. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Rose Garden Inn. Reservations may be made by calling 1-800-992-9005 OR directly on their website. Click on Corporate at the bottom of the screen and when prompted enter code MATH (this code is not case sensitive). By using this code a new calendar will appear and will show MSRI rate on all room types available. The cut-off date for reservations is May 23, 2008. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hotel Durant. Please mention the workshop name and reference the following code when making reservations via phone, fax or e-mail: JU0000. The cut-off date for reservations is May 9, 2008.
Keywords and Mathematics Subject Classification (MSC)
Primary Mathematics Subject Classification No Primary AMS MSC
Secondary Mathematics Subject Classification No Secondary AMS MSC
Funding & Logistics Show All Collapse

Show Funding

To apply for funding, you must register by the funding application deadline displayed above.

Students, recent PhDs, women, and members of underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Funding awards are typically made 6 weeks before the workshop begins. Requests received after the funding deadline are considered only if additional funds become available.

Show Lodging

For information about recommended hotels for visits of under 30 days, visit Short-Term Housing. Questions? Contact coord@slmath.org.

Show Directions to Venue

Show Visa/Immigration

Schedule, Notes/Handouts & Videos
Show Schedule, Notes/Handouts & Videos
Show All Collapse
Jun 09, 2008
Monday
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  The History of Weinstein Conjecture.
Helmut Hofer (Institute for Advanced Study)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  What do we know about the Weinstein Conjecture in higher dimensions?
Helmut Hofer (Institute for Advanced Study)
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
  Introduction to the Seiberg-Witten equations
Tomasz Mrowka (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
  The asymptotic behavior of punctured pseudoholomorphic curves
Richard Siefring
Jun 10, 2008
Tuesday
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Background for embedded contact homology
Michael Hutchings (University of California, Berkeley)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  Introduction to the Seiberg-Witten-Floer homologies I
Peter Kronheimer (Harvard University)
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
  Outline of the relationship between Seiberg-Witten and the Weinstein conjecture
Clifford Taubes (Harvard University)
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
  Towards Heegard Floer homology for 3-manifolds with boundary
Robert Lipshitz (University of Oregon)
Jun 11, 2008
Wednesday
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Introduction to embedded contact homology I
Michael Hutchings (University of California, Berkeley)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  Introduction to the Seiberg-Witten-Floer homologies II
Tomasz Mrowka (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
  Seiberg-Witten and Weinstein Conjecture I
Clifford Taubes (Harvard University)
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
  Seiberg-Witten and Weinstein Conjecture II
Clifford Taubes (Harvard University)
04:30 PM - 05:30 PM
  Relative Contact Homologies
Ko Honda
Jun 12, 2008
Thursday
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Introduction to embedded contact homology II
Michael Hutchings (University of California, Berkeley)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  Existence theorems for Seiberg-Witten-Floer homology
Peter Kronheimer (Harvard University)
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
  Seiberg-Witten and Weinstein Conjecture III
Clifford Taubes (Harvard University)
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
  A symplectic Gysin sequence
Tim Perutz (University of Texas, Austin)
Jun 13, 2008
Friday
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  Seiberg-Witten and embedded contact homology II
Clifford Taubes (Harvard University)
01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
  Seiberg-Witten Floer homology and symplectic forms on S^1 x M^3
Cagatay Kutluhan (University at Buffalo (SUNY))
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
  Broken Lefschetz fibrations for all smooth oriented 4-manifolds
Robion Kirby (University of California, Berkeley)