Computational Algebra Seminar: Weinstein -- An overview of the local Langlands program

Speaker: Jared Weinstein (Boston University)
Title: An overview of the local Langlands program
Time & Place: 3:05 - 4:00pm, Thursday 5 May, Carslaw 535

Abstract:
Is there any structure to the set of algebraic extensions of the field
of rational numbers Q? Can we describe the linear representations of its
absolute Galois group?  These questions lead to class field theory and,
ultimately, the Langlands program.  They become far simpler if Q is replaced
by a local field such as Q_p. We will give a motivated introduction to the
"local Langlands program", which is an attempt to describe all the
representations of the absolute Galois group via objects that seem to
have nothing to do with Galois theory.