Organizers: Michael Bennett (University of British Columbia), Greg Martin (Department of Mathematics, UBC), John Friedlander (Univ. of Toronto Math Dept.), Andrew Granville (Department de mathematiques, Universite de Montreal), Cameron Stewart (Department of Pure Mathematics, Univ. of Waterloo), Trevor Wooley (Department of Mathematics, Univ of Michigan).
The objective of this workshop is to gather together researchers with expertise in both Diophantine approximation and analytic number theory in an environment that fosters the presentation and sharing of the latest ideas in both fields. The participants named below have been chosen either as experts in analytic number theory whose work involves problems in Diophantine approximation, or as experts in Diophantine approximation whose methods also lend themselves to the resolution of open questions in analytic number theory. As remarked below, we also intend for the workshop to provide a significant learning experience and exposure to current research for number theorists in these two areas in the early stages of their careers.
Number theory is unique among the major fields of mathematics in that it combines problems and questions of incredible simplicity and accessibility with truly deep and technical tools and methods for addressing these questions. A reduction of a problem in one area of number theory (and indeed in many other mathematical fields as well) often involves a very simply stated question in the other area, which can seem difficult to resolve if one is not well-versed in the techniques of the second area. Often, contact and communication between Diophantine approximation researchers and analytic number theorists is the greatest obstacle to overcome on the way to significant advances on both sides. This accessibility that number theory possesses is another reason that involving young researchers in the workshop is so profitable.