Given a compact Riemann surface X and a point p in X, we construct a holomorphic function without critical points on the punctured (algebraic) Riemann surface R=X-p which is of finite order at the point p. In the case at hand this improves the 1967 theorem of Gunning and Rossi to the effect that every open Riemann surface admits a noncritical holomorphic function, but without any particular growth condition. (Joint work with Takeo Ohsawa.)

We prove that every circle domain in the Riemann sphere admits a proper holomorphic embedding into the affine plane C^2. By a circle domain we mean a domain obtained by removing from the Riemann sphere a finite or countable family of pairwise disjoint closed round discs. Our proof also applies to some circle domains with punctures. The uniformization theorem of He and Schramm (1996) says that every domain in the Riemann sphere with at most countably many boundary components is conformally equivalent to a circle domain, so our theorem embeds all such domains properly holomorphically in C^2. (Joint work with Erlend F. Wold.)

Lecture series by Rajesh Gopakumar (Harish-Chandra Research Institute). The lectures will be supplemented by talks by other invited speakers.

Space and time together constitute one of the most basic elements of physical reality. Since Einstein spacetime has become an active participant in the dynamics of the gravitational force. However, our notion of a quantum spacetime is still rudimentary. String theory, building upon hints provided from the physics of black holes, seems to be suggesting a very novel, "holographic" picture of what quantum spacetime might be. This relies on some very surprising connections of gravity with quantum field theories (which provide the framework for the description of the other fundamental interactions of nature). In this talk, I will try and convey some of the flavour of these connections as well as its significance.

Electricity demand forecasting plays an important role in short-term load allocation and long-term planning for future generation facilities and transmission augmentation. Planners must adopt a probabilistic view of potential peak demand levels, therefore density forecasts (providing estimates of the full probability distributions of the possible future values of the demand) are more helpful than point forecasts, and are necessary for utilities to evaluate and hedge the financial risk accrued by demand variability and forecasting uncertainty. Electricity demand in a given season is subject to a range of uncertainties, including underlying population growth, changing technology, economic conditions, prevailing weather conditions (and the timing of those conditions), as well as the general randomness inherent in individual usage. It is also subject to some known calendar effects due to the time of day, day of week, time of year, and public holidays. I will describe a comprehensive forecasting solution designed to take all the available information into account, and to provide forecast distributions from a few hours ahead to a few decades ahead. We use semi-parametric additive models to estimate the relationships between demand and the covariates, including temperatures, calendar effects and some demographic and economic variables. Then we forecast the demand distributions using a mixture of temperature simulation, assumed future economic scenarios, and residual bootstrapping. The temperature simulation is implemented through a new seasonal bootstrapping method with variable blocks. The model is being used by the state energy market operators and some electricity supply companies to forecast the probability distribution of electricity demand in various regions of Australia. It also underpinned the Victorian Vision 2030 energy strategy.

Lecture series by Jonathan Rosenberg (University of Maryland). There will be additional talks by other invited speakers.

The term "overlapping" refers to a certain fairly simple type of piecewise continuous function from the unit interval to itself and also to a fairly simple type of iterated function system (IFS) on the unit interval. A correspondence between these two classes of objects is used to: 1. find a necessary and sufficient condition for a fractal transformation from the attractor of one overlapping IFS to the attractor of another overlapping IFS to be a homeomorphism and 2. find a formula for the topological entropy of the dynamical system associated with an overlapping function. These results suggest a new method for analysing clocks, weather systems and prime numbers.