Undergraduate Math Conference Saturday, April 18, 2009

2009 Invited Speaker

Dr. Jim Coykendall North Dakota State University

Dr. Jim Coykendall is the James A. Meier Professor at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. He received his Ph.D. degree from Cornell University in 1995, and after a one year position as the C. C. Hsiung Professor at Lehigh University, arrived in Fargo in 1996. At NDSU, he has served as the Graduate Program Director, the Associate Chair and is the current Chair of the Department of Mathematics. At NDSU, he has been the recipient of the College Awards for Excellence in Teaching (2000) and Research (2005) and the Odney Teaching Award (2004). In 2005, he was the North Dakota winner of the Carnegie Foundation’s “U.S. Professor of the Year” award. He is the author of over 35 refereed publications in commutative algebra and algebraic number theory. The focus of his research is primarily in factorization theory (both in a number theoretic and purely algebraic context) as well as multiplicative ideal theory. He has graduated 4 PhD students and is currently directing the Doctoral work of 6 students and is a managing editor for the Journal of Commutative Algebra.

Talk Abstract:

Title: Unique and Almost Unique Factorization in Integral Domains versus Monoids

Abstract: Factorization is central in studying the structure of integral domains (commutative rings with identity with no nontrivial zero-divisors). Understanding the factorization structure of an integral domain is tantamount to understanding the multiplicative structure of the domain. In this context, it is natural to focus COMPLETELY on the multiplicative structure of a domain to "get to the heart" of studying only multiplication. This philosophy has led to the study of factorization in monoids and has greatly enriched and enlightened the study of factorization in integral domains. Many insights into factorizations in general have been gained by the study of monoids. But then there is that pesky additive structure possessed by domains... In this talk we will compare and contrast (mostly through examples) factorization properties in both integral domains and monoids. We will give a fairly broad tour of the zoo that is factorization and produce some interesting examples where factorization properties in both contexts go hand in hand and some examples where things are surprisingly different.

Conference Contact: Dr. David Anderson, Dept. of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tn 37996-1300: phone: 865-974-4298: e-mail: anderson@math.utk.edu

2008 Undergraduate Math Conference 2007 Undergraduate Math Conference Department of Mathematics University of Tennessee ======================= Ayres Hall, home to the UT Department of Mathematics

This conference is sponsored by the
University of Tennessee Mathematics Department and
the National Science Foundation.

last updated: 3/17/09