Subject of the conference:
Cohomology theories, Lie algebras and differential geometry are fondamental parts of modern mathematics related to almost any other mathematical subject. Cohomology theory makes a bridge from geometry and topology to algebra, it is a part of the universal beauty of mathematics.
Lie algebra theory is a brickstone of contemporary mathematics. In particular, infinite dimensional Lie algebras consitute a subject which transformed mathematical physics and mathematics in general in the last decades. Infinite dimensional Lie algebras appear in differential geometry, integrable systems, cohomology theories and many other fields. Virasoro algebra is one of the best known examples of infinite dimensional Lie algebras. It was discribed by Gelfand and Fuchs in 1967, and since then it serves as an inspirational source for many mathematicaians and physicists in search of new algebraic structures appearing in mathematics and physics.
This conference is dedicated to Claude Roger for his contribution to the subject. Claude Roger is at the origins of the fondamental developpements in the field. He is also one of the two authors of the the most complete and diverse book on the Virasoro algebra. The conference has an ambitious aim to reunite the most prominent experts in the subject, who have also interacted with Claude Roger in the course of his mathematical career.
Claude Roger and his mathematical life:
Claude Roger was a student in Ecole Normale Supérieure de St. Cloud. He defended his thèse d'état in Orsay in 1976. Then he was an agrégé preparateur in Ecole Normale Superieure des Jeunes Filles till 1980, when he became a professor in the University of Metz.
He came to the Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University in 1989, where he held several important administrative positions. From 1992 till 1994 he was the head of l'URA 746 ``Géométrie et Analyse''. In 1995, together with Fokko du Cloux, he created a Mathematics Institute ``Institut Girard Desargues'', which became later ``Institut Camille Jordan''. Claude Roger was the first director of this Mathematics Institute. In different periods of his tenure he served as a member of CNU 25 (National Nniversity Commitee for math sciences), a council member of SMF (French Mathematical Society), as well as a membre of several hiring commitees. Since 1989, he was one of the organisers of Séminaire Sud Rhodanien de Géométrie, which then became GDR 144, and of several international conferences.
In Lyon, Claude Roger created a group in mathematical physics, with an emphasis on the developpement of geometrical and algebraic methods in theoretical physics. Claude Roger made contributions in many different subjects, ranging from the classifying spaces of foliations and infinite dimensional Lie algebra cohomology (such as vector field algebras, loop algebras, Virasoro and Schroedinger-Virasoro), to algebraic deformations and their applications to quantization. His recent book "L'algèbre et le groupe de Virasoro. Aspects géométriques et algébriques, généralisations", written together with L.Guieu, shows well the vast spectrum of his knowledge and interests.
Last but not least, Claude Roger is a successful teacher. He teaches a large variety of courses, supervwises students, participates in various department mathematics curriculum committees. All of his graduate students obtained academic positions and most of them now have a second degree (habilition à diriger les recherches).
