Algebraic Geometry Seminar: Bowne-Anderson -- Etale cohomology

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STUDENT ALGEBRAIC GEOMETRY SEMINAR
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TIME: WEDNESDAY 28/03/2007, 4pm

PLACE: RED CENTRE 4082, UNSW

SPEAKER: HUGO BOWNE-ANDERON

TOPIC: ETALE COHOLOMOGY


This will be the first in a series of talks on etale cohomology, a topic which
has had major repercussions in such diverse fields of research as algebraic
geometry, representation theory and number theory.

I will keep it relatively simple. All you need to know is the definition of a
variety. The first talk will be dedicated to discussing why the (standard)
Zariski topology is too coarse and why the etale topology gives us a cohomology
theory comparable to working complex analytically.

Via many examples, we will also see what these etale maps look like and why they
are so nice to work with.

This is a shockingly beautiful area of maths. However, it is also very difficult
to work through on your own. The good thing for you is that i’ve done the work
and you can come and watch it all unfold!

Please feel free to email me (hugo@maths.unsw.edu.au) with any queries.

Hugo Bowne-Anderson (PhD student at UNSW).