Talk by Dr. Sam Gunningham (School of Mathematics, University of Edinburgh, UK)

2/6/2019  Wilson Hall 1-144  3:10-4:00pm

Abstract: 

I will give a motivated introduction to the theory of D-modules, which is an algebraic approach to differential equations. We will see some examples of familiar structures in this setting (e.g. the Fourier transform), and I will explain some work relating D-modules to representations of Lie groups and the topology of character varieties. If there is time, I will discuss analogues of some of these results in the setting of q-difference equations. Parts of this are joint work with (various combinations of) David Ben-Zvi, David Nadler, and David Jordan.