Workshops

For the individual workshops please see the annual schedules.

The aim of these Workshops is to offer 45 - 48 experts, invited by the Institute's Director, the opportunity to present recent research results, especially new methods, and to initiate future research projects.

Mathematical research mainly aims at the study of the structure and inner correlations of mathematical objects and at the development of more comprehensive theories. Many mathematical questions are consequences of the effort to describe nature in mathematical terms, but it can also happen that the mathematical frame was created before the appearance of the applications. The process of research leads to mathematical theorems, whose proofs are typically complicated. The final write-up of a proof can best be done at the home institutes, but the development of a mathematical theory and, within such a theory, of a promising idea for a proof, is an extremely creative process depending very much on intuition and experience.

Naturally, coincidence also plays a big role. Improving the chances for progress by coincidence is one of the main purposes of the research at the Oberwolfach Institute. When getting to know the background of an important result during a talk, one can suddenly have a bright idea, perhaps leading to a considerable progress in one's own research activity. Within discussions in small groups, when presenting fresh thoughts, one sometimes can find the right direction for further work with the help of the comments of colleagues. Often it also happens that two or three colleagues, during discussions, become aware that they, though coming from different backgrounds and with different motivations, are interested in similar problems and decide to unify their potential in order to establish a common research project.

All this happens nearly daily at these Workshops. A great number of important papers have been initiated at Oberwolfach in this manner. Contrary to the typically large conferences all over the world, Oberwolfach Workshops emphasize active research.

Participation in the Workshops

Participants of the meetings at Oberwolfach are invited personally by the Director of the Institute. Participation is subject to such an invitation. The Institute covers accommodation and food. Travel expenses cannot be reimbursed (with the exception of special grants).

Researchers interested in participation, in particular junior researchers, can contact the administration of the Institute. Since the number of participants is restricted, not all those interested in participating can be invited.

How to propose a Workshop in Oberwolfach

The Oberwolfach Workshops are decided yearly at the meeting of the scientific board in autumn. The deadline for applications to organize a Workshop in Oberwolfach is the end of July (for a Workshop which should take place two years later). See also our guidelines for proposals of an Oberwolfach Workshop or Mini-Workshop.