SPEAKER: Gary Seitz

TITLE: Unipotent and nilpotent elements in simple algebraic groups and associated Lie algebras.

ABSTRACT I will report on a new approach to understanding the unipotent and nilpotent classes in simple algebraic groups, finite groups of Lie type, and associated Lie algebras. The goal is to obtain complete results for both classical and exceptional types in arbitrary characteristic. A great deal of progress has been made. In particuar, I will describe a theorem illustrating some lovely connections between nilpotent and unipotent elements.