Sir Michael Atiyah For the month of April 2002, the Physics Department took pleasure in hosting Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS, Fields Medalist, past President of The Royal Society, past Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, founder and past Director of the Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge, who delivered the second Ford Motor Company Distinguished Lecture in Physics.

Geometry and Physics: A Marriage Made in Heaven

Sir Michael Atiyah (Mathematics Department, University of Edinburgh)
Wednesday, April 3, 2002 at 4:00 pm in Hale Auditorium

In the Geometry and Physics lecture, Sir Michael Atiyah discussed how geometry and physics have lived together in close association for centuries. The relationship has had its ups and downs, but for the past 25 years it has blossomed in a remarkable manner. New physical theories require very sophisticated mathematical models and have in turn had a profound influence on contemporary mathematics. Sir Michael presented an overall view of the history and current state of this cosmic marriage.

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Sir Michael Atiyah also gave the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics (MCTP) colloquium:
Polyhedra in Geometry, Physics and Chemistry
Tuesday, April 23, 2002 at 12:00 pm in 340 West Hall

Polyhedra, particularly regular ones, have been studied by Geometers for over two thousand years and have connections with various parts of mathematics. In the natural sciences they also occur in crystals and more recently in the fullerenes of carbon chemistry. Sir Michael Atiyah discussed models of "particles" in equilibrium under various force laws and the polyhedral shapes that they acquire. Even for the simplest models computer simulation is needed and he illustrated the answers with computer generated pictures.

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Sir Michael Atiyah also participated in the MCTP workshop:
Mathematics and Physics of Extra Dimensions Workshop (please see the MCTP website)
The Workshop featured K-theory for Physicists.
Thursdays, April 11, 18, 25 from 11am-Noon

April 11 in 231 West Hall
April 18 in 340 West Hall
April 25 in 231 West Hall