Seminar Series on Symplectic Topology at IBA

IBA welcomed Dr. Shah Faisal, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, for a week-long academic engagement hosted by the Department of Mathematical Sciences, School of Mathematics and Computer Science (SMCS), from April 13 to April 18, 2026. His research focuses on symplectic topology, an active area of mathematics with strong connections to geometry and mathematical physics.

During his visit, Dr. Shah Faisal delivered a series of four seminars that progressively introduced and developed key concepts in symplectic topology. The first seminar covered foundational ideas, including the origins of the field in Hamiltonian mechanics and the concept of symplectic manifolds. The second seminar focused on Gromov–Witten invariants, highlighting their importance in understanding symplectic manifolds and their connections to string theory, along with current developments and open questions.

The third seminar presented Dr. Shah Faisal’s research on symplectic capacities, particularly Lagrangian capacity, addressing embedding problems and recent progress in the field. The series concluded with a seminar on Fukaya categories, algebraic structures central to homological mirror symmetry, a major area of research with implications for mathematical physics. The sessions were well attended and fostered strong academic engagement among students and faculty.

Beyond the seminars, Dr. Shah Faisal interacted with the IBA academic community, guiding students on higher education opportunities. As a co-founder of Maths Volunteers, he shared insights on global academic pathways and skill development for students from developing countries. The Department of Mathematical Sciences extends its appreciation for this valuable visit, which strengthened research engagement and academic dialogue at IBA.