# Alberta Number Theory Days (ANTD IX) (17w2672)

Arriving in Banff, Alberta Friday, March 17 and departing Sunday March 19, 2017

## Organizers

(University of Alberta)

(The King's University)

(University of Lethbridge)

## Objectives

This conference is a unique opportunity for the number theorists in Alberta to get together and discuss the latest research progress in the field as well hear about the advances of Alberta's own researchers.

The smaller, intimate nature of the conference provides an ideal environment for young researchers to introduce their work and connect with other well-established researchers in the province, but outside of their own universities.

Western Canada has always been one of the major Canadian centres for number theory. Alberta number theorists are working in a wide range of subdisciplines, including algebraic number theory (Weiss in Edmonton), analytic number theory (Akbary, Hamieh, Kadiri, and Ng, in Lethbridge), arithmetic geometry (Greenberg in Calgary), automorphic forms (Cunningham in Calgary, Patnaik in Edmonton), computational number theory (Bauer, Jacobson, Scheidler, and Williams in Calgary), and the interactions of number theory with mathematical physics (Gannon and Creutzig in Edmonton).

Not only are there a significant number of researchers in number theory in Alberta, but many of these number theorists share common areas of research. For instance, the study of $L$-functions, one of the main themes of modern number theory, is shared by Lethbridge (Akbary, Hamieh, Kadiri, Ng), Calgary (Cunningham, Greenberg), and Edmonton (Patnaik, Puskas) researchers.

The thriving community of Alberta researchers working in areas related to number theory have witnessed and organized several conferences of importance.

Very recently, in June 2016, the fourteenth meeting of the Canadian Number Theory Association (CNTA) was hosted by the University of Calgary, with approximately 175 particpants. This meeting featured a special session honouring Professor Richard Guy's outstanding contributions to number theory, in celebration of his 100th birthday. Another highlight of this meeting was a graduate summer school prior to the conference (June 16-18, 2016) sponsored by the 2015-2018 PIMS CRG on Explicit Methods for Abelian Varieties. In 2012, the University of Lethbridge hosted a CNTA meeting, and it was equally well-attended.

Also, the 2010-2013 PIMS CRG on $L$-functions and Number Theory, incorporating the Alberta and British Columbia departments, allowed for several internationally important events. These included the workshop on Analytic Aspects of $L$-functions and Applications to Number Theory (Calgary 2011, 80 participants).

There are also some ongoing activities, including the weekly PIMS Number Theory and Combinatorics Seminar in Lethbridge (more than 170 seminars since 2007). In addition, until 2012 there was an active inter-university seminar (West End Number Theory Seminar).

All of these events have been very helpful in solidifying Alberta's reputation as one of major research centres for number theory. They are also a major reason why ANTD has grown to a level beyond that of just a provincial meeting, and how ANTD has managed to invite some of the best number theorists in the world.

There have been eight successful Alberta Number Theory Days conferences (Lethbridge 2008, Calgary 2009, BIRS 2010, BIRS 2011, BIRS 2013, BIRS 2014, BIRS 2015, BIRS 2016). These conferences have been a great inspiration for our community, especially for the younger researchers. It is a great event which exposes all the participants to topics outside their field of expertise. This conference plays a significant role in strengthening our Alberta number theory community.