Physics and Astronomy Colloquium
A Century of Noether’s Theorem
4:00 pm –
5:00 pm
Theodore Jorgensen Hall
Room: 136
Target Audiences:
855 N 16th St
Lincoln NE 68588
Lincoln NE 68588
Additional Info: JH
Contact:
Physics Department, (402) 472-2770, paoffice2@unl.edu
Dr. Chris Quigg will present his colloquium topic in person.
Abstract:
In the summer of 1918, Emmy Noether published the theorem that now bears her name, establishing a profound two-way connection between symmetries and conservation laws. The influence of this insight is pervasive in physics; it underlies all of our theories of the fundamental interactions and gives meaning to conservation laws that elevates them beyond useful empirical rules. Noether’s papers, lectures, and personal interactions with students and colleagues drove the development of abstract algebra, establishing her in the pantheon of twentieth-century mathematicians. This talk traces her path from Erlangen through Göttingen to a brief but happy exile at Bryn Mawr College, illustrating the importance of “Noether’s Theorem” for the way we think today.
Abstract:
In the summer of 1918, Emmy Noether published the theorem that now bears her name, establishing a profound two-way connection between symmetries and conservation laws. The influence of this insight is pervasive in physics; it underlies all of our theories of the fundamental interactions and gives meaning to conservation laws that elevates them beyond useful empirical rules. Noether’s papers, lectures, and personal interactions with students and colleagues drove the development of abstract algebra, establishing her in the pantheon of twentieth-century mathematicians. This talk traces her path from Erlangen through Göttingen to a brief but happy exile at Bryn Mawr College, illustrating the importance of “Noether’s Theorem” for the way we think today.