Robert Brooks
(1952-2002)

An International Workshop on Groups, Geometry and Dynamics will take place at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in January 2004. This Workshop, together with a Conference on Geometry and Spectral Theory, will form a two-part program that will honor the memory of our friend and colleague Robert (Bob) Brooks, who passed away suddenly on September 5, 2002.   The Workshop will address growing and interesting interactions between geometric group theory, group actions on manifolds, differential and symplectic geometry, geometric topology and dynamics.

These meetings will be held under the auspices of the Center for Mathematical Sciences at the Technion and will be supported by the Mallat Family Fund for Research in Mathematics.

Invited speakers include: Uri Bader, Paul Biran, Joan Birman, Andrew Casson, Koji Fujiwara, David Gabai, Viktor Ginzburg, Alexander Givental, Saar Hersonsky, Mikhail Katz, Dan Mangoubi, Yair Minsky, Alexander Nabutovsky, Amos Nevo, Leonid Polterovich, Leonid Potyagailo, Mark Sapir, Peter Shalen, Jean-Claude Sikorav, Barak Weiss and Wolfgang Woess.

Organizing Committee: Michael Entov and Michah Sageev.

For further information :
Sylvia Schur (Workshop Coordinator)
Department of Mathematics
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
32000 Haifa, Israel
Phone:     972 4 829 4278
Fax:         972 4 829 3388
Email: cms@math.technion.ac.il

Registration
Please make every effort to  ensure that your registration form reaches us before October 31, 2003.  The workshop will commence on the morning of Monday, January 5, 2004, so participants should reach Haifa by Sunday evening. Lectures will be held from Monday through Friday.
Registration Form

Talks - Abstracts
Invited speakers should let us have a title and short abstract of their talk by October 31. Abstracts should be up to one page in length and can be sent either by e-mail in LaTeX/TeX, or typed and sent by mail (no larger than 14cm x 20cm).

Airport arrival

 A "sherut" (shared taxi service) by the Amal Taxi Co. provides transport from Ben Gurion Airport direct to your hotel in Haifa. The cost is about $12.00, including service charges and the service is available at all times. However, it can cost more if there are not enough passengers. There is also a special taxi service to Haifa available at the airport for about $70.00 per taxi (at night the price is higher).

Departure
Transportation from your hotel to the airport on your departure usually can be arranged for about $12.00.

Accommodation
We have succeeded in obtaining hotel rooms for workshop participants at the Dan Panorama hotel at a very special price, including breakfast. The hotel is a comfortable four star hotel, very well situated and only a short walk to business and leisure centers, with striking views of Haifa Bay. (For rates please e-mail us and we will provide you with the details.) In order to benefit from these special workshop rates, kindly complete the registration form above and mail/email it so as to reach us no later than October 31, 2003.  
Currency exchange
Changing currency in Israel is expensive due to bank charges. We do not, however, recommend that you buy Israeli currency abroad. It is usually better to pay hotel bills in foreign currency (which will also save the 18% value added tax). We also advise you to limit your currency exchanges to a minimum as a bank charge is made on each exchange, in addition to the charge made for each traveller's check cashed. Possibly the best way to save is through the use of a credit card. All major credit cards are widely accepted in Israel.

Climate and clothing
The weather in Haifa in December/January can be cold and wet, although there can be pleasant and sunny days. It is advisable, however, to be prepared for the possibility of cold and rainy weather.

Workshop excursion and banquet

On Wednesday afternoon, January 7, there will be an excursion to the Galilee, followed by the workshop banquet. The price is $60 per person. Please indicate on the registration form whether you are interested in participating.