Workshop on

LINEAR ALGEBRAIC GROUPS, QUADRATIC FORMS AND RELATED TOPICS

Eilat, February 1--5, 2004

Scientific Committee:

Local Organizing Committee:

List of participants

This workshop is part of the activities of the European Research and Training Network "Algebraic K-theory, Linear Algebraic Groups and Related Structures" (HPRN--CT--2002--00287) and the European Algebraic Geometry Research Training Network (EAGER). It is also supported by the Emmy Noether Research Institute in Mathematics and by the Hermann Minkowski Center for Geometry.

Program:

The conference will cover all aspects of linear algebraic groups, quadratic forms and related structures: algebraic, geometric, and arithmetic. It will start on Sunday, February 1, 14:00, and will end on Thursday, February 5, 12:30. There will be eight 1-hour survey lectures and a number of shorter, more specialized, talks. Long afternoon break is reserved for non-formal discussions. On Tuesday morning a trip around Eilat Gulf is planned. An important notice (especially for local participants): please bring your foreign passports (they will be required for the boat trip).

Here is the list of one-hour survey lectures:

Provisional list of contributed talks

Provisional schedule

An important notice: there is no blackboard in the conference hall. All speakers are kindly requested to prepare transparencies for overhead projector.

Accommodation:

The conference will take place in a deluxe 5* hotel "Le Meridien" in Eilat (a resort town on the shores of the Red Sea). The hotel is located on the beach, within a walking distance from the central bus station, close to the promenade and commercial area. See more details at the hotel's website .

The special conference rates are $65 a day per person in double occupancy on half board basis (buffet-type meals). Singles will cost $111. It is possible to order full board for additional $15-$18 per day (depending on the choice of a restaurant).

Location:

The venue of the conference, Eilat, is the southern most point in Israel. It is a resort city hugging the shores of the Red Sea, surrounded by the magnificent Edom Mountain Range, characterized by its crystal clear waters and year-round sunshine. Its unique undersea vista, flora and fauna of coral reefs may be admired by glass-bottom boat or at the breath-taking Underwater Observatory and of course, for the enthusiasts, by snorkelling or scuba diving. The desert landscapes inland are no less fascinating. Eilat is well known for its mild winter climate. The weather during the month of February is warm during the day and cooler at night. Temperatures range from 12 C (at night) to 25 C. It seldom rains in Eilat even in winter. Participants who stay longer or come earlier might want to join some of many interesting day-trips which start in Eilat, either inside Israel or crossing the border to Jordan or Egypt (Moon Valley, Akaba, Petra, Wadi Rum, Nuweiba, Colored Canyon, or even Santa Catharina). (Reservation can be made on the spot through the hotel's concierge.)

Registration:

The registration fee $60 ($50 for students) is to be paid in cash on the spot, on February 1 (14:00-15:00).

Arrival:

There are some direct flights from Europe to Eilat. There are also connecting flights Ben Gurion - Eilat, see Arkia and Israir. Both airlines have flights from the Ben Gurion International Airport and from a small airport Sde Dov in Tel Aviv. If you cannot find a suitable flight from Ben Gurion, you can try Sde Dov. You can reach Sde Dov from Ben Gurion by taxi in half an hour (not in rush hours), and it will cost you 100-110 shekels (ask the driver for the price before you enter the taxi, refuse to ride with him if he asks 150-200 shekels, and in any case ask for a receipt).

Note that the Eilat airport will be closed for renovation work. The flights of Israir will land and depart at Ovda airport (one hour drive to Eilat). There will be a free shuttle bus Ovda-Eilat. The flights of Arkia will land and depart at the landing-field in Yotvata (25-minute drive to Eilat). There will be a free shuttle bus Yotvata-Eilat. Note that you can fly with Arkia from Sde Dov to Yotvata, Eilat on Saturday evening for only 95 shekels one way if you buy the ticket 5 days in advance.

You can get to Eilat by bus from the central bus station of Tel Aviv (5.30 hours), see time-table, it will cost you 65 shekels one way. You can reach the central bus station of Tel Aviv by bus 475 from the Ben Gurion airport (40 minutes), it will cost you 11.50 shekels. From the central bus station of Eilat, take a taxi to the hotel Le Meridien (ask the driver to turn on the meter!) or just walk about 20 minutes.

Car Rentals:

For those interested, we strongly recommend to make the necessary arrangements through their own travel agent before leaving for Israel. On site car rentals are more costly (Eldan is the cheapest, as of now, of all car rental agencies in the Ben-Gurion airport).

Clothing:

The weather is likely to be warm and dry in the Eilat area. We strongly suggest to bring bathing suits for swimming and snorkelling. However, one has to take into account the possibility of mutable weather, and, especially if anyone is planning to visit other places in Israel, of lower temperatures and rain.