1This is the SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT for the upcoming parallel computation
2workshop at MSRI:
3           http://sage.math.washington.edu/msri07/
4
5TITLE:     Interactive Parallel Computation in Support of Research
6           in Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory
7
8LOCATION:  MSRI, Will be January 29 -- February 2, 2007
9
10FUNDING:   https://secure.msri.org/forms/workshopreg/workshopreg?event_id=410.0
12
13INVITED SPEAKERS:
14           David Bailey (Berkeley)
15           Henry Cohn (Microsoft Research)
16           Gene Cooperman (Northeastern University)
17           Brian Granger (Tech-X)
18           Robert Harrison (Oak Ridge National Lab)
19           Bill Hart (Warwick)
20           Yozo Hida (Berkeley)
21           Jason Martin (James Madison University)
22           Moreno Maza and Xie (Western Ontario)
23           Alfred Noel (UMass Boston / MIT)
24           Yi Qiang (UW)
25	   Jean-Louis Roch (France)
26           Jan Verschelde (UIC)
27
28ORGANIZERS:
29           Ifti Burhanuddin (University of Southern California, Computer Science)
30           James Demmel   (UC Berkeley, Mathematics and Computer Science)
31           Edray Goins    (Purdue University, Mathematics)
32           Erich Kaltofen (North Carolina State University, Mathematics)
33           Fernando Perez (University of Colorado, Applied Math)
34  Chair:   William Stein  (University of Washington, Mathematics)
35           Helena Verrill (Lousianna State University, Mathematics)
36           Joe Weening    (CCR, Research)
37
38DESCRIPTION: The goal of this workshop is to study and formulate
39practical parallel algorithms that support interactive mathematical
40research in algebra, geometry, and number theory, and to formulate
41strategies to encourage implementation and testing of these ideas.
42
43Computer manufacturers have begun delivering multiprocessor machines
44onto desktops; indeed, this seems to be the only means for continuing
45the pace of cpu power growth that we have become accustomed to.
46At the moment, general purpose mathematical software packages rarely
47exploit parallelism, and this is especially true in the areas of
48algebra, geometry, number theory, and combinatorics.  Dramatic
49advances in performance will only be possible if parallelism can be
50harnessed in ways that are transparent to users.
51
52We hope to bring together a diverse group of mathematics and computer
53science researchers and students to discuss algorithms, assess current
54prospects, and suggest ways to move forward.  Talks and discussions
55will cover new algorithms that exploit parallelism, specific problems
56likely to benefit from dramatic speedups from parallelism, and
57strategies to encourage implementation of these ideas.
58
59Examples of specific problems that we hope to address include:
60   (a) Parallel multimodular and p-adic methods for dense, sparse and
61       black box linear algebra over finite fields, the rational
62       numbers and rational functions (e.g., linear system solutions,
63       matrix multiplication, determinants and characteristic
64       polynomials, kernels, etc.)
65   (b) Parallel Groebner basis techniques, parallel triangular set construction
66   (c) Distributed general purpose integer factorization algorithms
67   (d) Uni- and multivariate polynomial arithmetic on large polynomials
68       (high degree, many terms) such as multiplication, GCD, factorization,
69       both for exact and approximate coefficients
70   (e) Parallel methods for searching for rational points on curves
71   (f) Distributed computation of large tables (e.g., elliptic curves,
72       modular forms, data about L-functions, number fields, etc.)
73
74Applications of parallel computation to numerical problems, e.g., in
75differential equations, linear algebra, etc., tend to have been more
76fully developed than in algebraic areas, so we will invite experts in
77those areas in order to hear about techniques that have been
78successful at attacking those problems.
79
80In sum, we aim at the following benefits for the mathematical community:
81   (a) new techniques and algorithms to exploit parallelism,
82   (b) exposure of areas and problems that may benefit from these ideas,
83   (c) a strategic assessment of how best to move the state of the art
84       forward, and
85   (d) a significant improvement of freely available general purpose
86       software for mathematical research.
87
88FORMAT: There will be at most 3 hour long lectures a day, and will be
89plenty of time for interaction between participants.  In addition, we
90will have one or two panel discussions about the current state of the
91art, and strategies for implementing support for parallel computation.
92Before the workshop the organizers will create a preliminary strategic
93plan for parallel computation that will focus discussion during the
94workshop, and which will hopefully be significantly improved during
95the workshop.
96
97REGISTRATION: Participants should register at the MSRI web page (when
98that page is available in a few days).  Any participant interested in
99giving a talk should indicate this, and include an abstract on their
100registration form.  The deadline for applications to talk is Dec. 1,
101and the organizing committee will make its selection and post a
102schedule by Dec. 15.  Application for financial support can also be