Stony Brook vs Northwestern

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keith
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Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:51 pm

Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by keith » Fri Apr 13, 2018 4:20 pm

I want to do complex geometry in general, but I am not sure whether I want to do complex algebraic geometry or complex differential geometry. I think Stony Brook has a larger department and they have very good faculties in both complex differential and algebraic geometry whereas Northwestern has a smaller department but they do have several very active faculty members in differential geometry like Prof. Valentino Tosatti. Northwestern provides way more stipend as well but the expense at Chicago is certainly higher.

I just cannot decide T T

EGA
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 10:59 am

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by EGA » Fri Apr 13, 2018 6:28 pm

For what it's worth, when I visited Northwestern, the students seemed uncertain about whether or not Mihnea Popa would be taking on any more students in the near future. Seeing as how there aren't that many algebraic geometers to begin with at Northwestern, at least for the very geometric side of algebraic geometry Stony Brook might offer more options. Within algebraic geometry, the department at Northwestern seems to be more slanted towards the derived setting over the complex geometric setting.

As for differential geometry, I'm certainly not super knowledgeable, but I know Stony Brook is a mecca for that sort of thing. If you're interested in the interface of PDE's and differential geometry, maybe they're comparable - but probably for most other flavors of differential geometry, Stony Brook is the better choice.

keith
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:51 pm

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by keith » Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:45 pm

EGA wrote:For what it's worth, when I visited Northwestern, the students seemed uncertain about whether or not Mihnea Popa would be taking on any more students in the near future. Seeing as how there aren't that many algebraic geometers to begin with at Northwestern, at least for the very geometric side of algebraic geometry Stony Brook might offer more options. Within algebraic geometry, the department at Northwestern seems to be more slanted towards the derived setting over the complex geometric setting.

As for differential geometry, I'm certainly not super knowledgeable, but I know Stony Brook is a mecca for that sort of thing. If you're interested in the interface of PDE's and differential geometry, maybe they're comparable - but probably for most other flavors of differential geometry, Stony Brook is the better choice.
Thank you very much for that information! It is really unfortunate to hear that Popa might not be taking any student. Do you by any chance have any information about Prof. Valentino Tosatti?

djysyed
Posts: 359
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:59 pm

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by djysyed » Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:47 pm

Have you spoken to Laura Demarco at Northwestern? Her research is Complex Geometry as well.
The students seemed uncertain about whether or not Mihnea Popa would be taking on any more students in the near future
I emailed him about six months ago and this is what he told me as well. NU is stronger in Algebraic Topology

keith
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:51 pm

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by keith » Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:52 pm

djysyed wrote:Have you spoken to Laura Demarco at Northwestern? Her research is Complex Geometry as well.
The students seemed uncertain about whether or not Mihnea Popa would be taking on any more students in the near future
I emailed him about six months ago and this is what he told me as well. NU is stronger in Algebraic Topology
I am just admitted off the wait list,so I do not really think that I have time to talk to anyone. It is driving me crazy having to make a decision in such a short amount of time.

EGA
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 10:59 am

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by EGA » Fri Apr 13, 2018 9:33 pm

keith wrote:
djysyed wrote:Have you spoken to Laura Demarco at Northwestern? Her research is Complex Geometry as well.
The students seemed uncertain about whether or not Mihnea Popa would be taking on any more students in the near future
I emailed him about six months ago and this is what he told me as well. NU is stronger in Algebraic Topology
I am just admitted off the wait list,so I do not really think that I have time to talk to anyone. It is driving me crazy having to make a decision in such a short amount of time.
Laura DeMarco's research, while certainly overlapping some aspects of complex geometry, is more focused on arithmetic dynamics. Apparently she has some very interesting/influential ideas, and the students all liked her quite a lot, but I wouldn't say her work is complex geometry. It certainly isn't differential geometry.

Unfortunately, I didn't gather any information about Valentino while I was there - but perhaps more aligned with your stated interests than DeMarco is Emmy Murphy. My impression is that she's building a pretty good reputation in the symplectic geometry world, and I sat in on one of her classes and felt she was quite good at communicating.

keith
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:51 pm

Re: Stony Brook vs Northwestern

Post by keith » Fri Apr 13, 2018 10:18 pm

EGA wrote:
keith wrote:
djysyed wrote:Have you spoken to Laura Demarco at Northwestern? Her research is Complex Geometry as well.

I am just admitted off the wait list,so I do not really think that I have time to talk to anyone. It is driving me crazy having to make a decision in such a short amount of time.
Laura DeMarco's research, while certainly overlapping some aspects of complex geometry, is more focused on arithmetic dynamics. Apparently she has some very interesting/influential ideas, and the students all liked her quite a lot, but I wouldn't say her work is complex geometry. It certainly isn't differential geometry.

Unfortunately, I didn't gather any information about Valentino while I was there - but perhaps more aligned with your stated interests than DeMarco is Emmy Murphy. My impression is that she's building a pretty good reputation in the symplectic geometry world, and I sat in on one of her classes and felt she was quite good at communicating.
Yes, she is going to deliver a 45-minute speech at ICM this year.



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