Table Of ContentAdvances in
Algebra
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Proceedings of the ICM Satellite Conference in Algebra and Related Topics
Advances in
Algebra
Editors
K P Shum
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong kong
Z X W a n
Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, PR China
J PZhang
Peking University, Beijing, PR China
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ADVANCES IN ALGEBRA
Proceedings of the ICM Satellite Conference in Algebra and Related Topics
Copyright 0 2003 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
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Preface
In 1990, Hong Kong hosted the First Asian Mathematical Conference. Following the
success of the conference, Hong Kong was again chosen to be the venue, this time for
the first ever International Congress ofAlgebra and Combinatorics.W e are honored to
be the host again for this year’s ICM Satellite Conference in Algebra and Related
Topics. We are grateful to have Professor R. Gonchidorazh, the former Vice-president
of Mongolia Republic from Ulaanbaatar to give the opening address. Other
distinguished guests this year include Dr. K. K. Wong, the Executive Council
Member of the Hong Kong Airport Authority and Professor Ambrose Y. C. King, the
Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. All in all, we have over
250 eminent algebraists from all over the world participating in this year’s event.
It has been no easy task organizing this event. In addition to the financial
constraints, the bigger challenge facing us is the diminishing importance of algebra as
a subject within the academia. In recent years, research has gradually shifted towards
applied fields that may yield quicker and more tangible results as compared to
research in algebra topics. To many, algebra is fast becoming an outdated and old-
fashioned discipline that has little direct applicationt o the real world. They have failed
to realize the importance of the subject in areas such as computer science and
information technology. As algebraists, we must protect and defend the discipline.
In this year’s conference, we will sadly miss the presence of Professor B. H.
Neumann, who passed away in October 2002. He has been a keen supporter of the
Society for the past 20 years attending the conferences, and helping to promote the
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subject in the region. Many of us who knew Professor Neumann have dedicated their
papers to him. There is also a memorial issue in this Proceedings dedicated to the late
Professor Neumann.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ICM Committee of the Chinese
Mathematical Society. Without their dedicated support, it would have been
impossible for Hong Kong to host such a large-scale conference. I would also like to
thank the Dean of Science of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Lau Oi
Wah who has seen that this is an important conference for the community and has
wholeheartedly supported the event. Special thanks also go to Sir Q. W. Lee and
Wei Lun Foundation for their continual support. It would not have been possible
to host the many events in Hong Kong without his generous financial assistance.
Last but not least, the organizing committee is indebted to the following parties.
Without their support, this conference would not have become a reality.
1. Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre
2. Chung Chi College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
3. Chinese Mathematical Society, Beijing
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4. The Croucher Foundation, Hong Kong
5. K.C. Wong Education Foundation Ltd.
6. Lee Foundation, Singapore
7. The Science Faculty, Chinese University of Hong Kong
8. The Southeast Asian Mathematical Society
9. Wei Lun Foundation Ltd.
10. Wu Jie Yee Charitable Foundation Ltd.
K. P. Shum
Organizer
ICM Satellite Conference in Algebra and Related Topics, Hong Kong 2002
President
Southeast Asian Mathematical Society 2002-2003
Dedicated to the memory of Professor B H Neumann
Professor Bernhard H. Neumann
Bernhard Hermann Neumann
(15 October 1909-21 October 2002)
Bernhard Hermann Neumann was born on 15 October 1909 in Berlin. He graduated
from the University of Berlin and received his Doctorate in Philosophy in July 1932
at the age of 23. In August 1933 he left Germany for England where he became a
research student, this time at Cambridge University, and received his Ph.D. there in
1935. He began his university career as an assistant lecturer at the University
College in Cardiff (1937-1940) and a lecturer at the University College in Hull
(1946-1948). He then moved to Manchester in 1948 where he later became a
Reader.
In July 1938 Bernhard married Hanna von Caemmerer. They were blessed with
five children. Two of the children, Peter and Walter, are now well-known mathemati-
cians. In 1962 Bemhard and Hanna moved to Australia, where he took up an
appointment as the Foundation Chair in Mathematics at the Institute of Advanced
Studies, Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. Hanna was appointed a
Professorial Fellow there, and shortly afterwards she became head of the then Pure
Mathematics Department in the School of General Studies (now the Faculties) at
ANU. Bernhard spent most his mathematical life in Australia. During that time he
contributed much to mathematics and mathematical activities in the Asian countries
including China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.
In 1959 Bernhard visited Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India, and
organized a series of 36 Lectures on Infinite Group Theory. The lectures were
collected and then published in 1960 in a book entitled Lectures On Topics in the
The0y of Infinite Groups. Since then he had established a mathematical network in
Asia to promote the discipline in under developed countries.
Kar Ping Shum from Hong Kong first met Bernhard in 1980 at Monash,
Australia, again in 1985 and 1986 at Alberta in Canada. Bernhard then encouraged
Kar Ping to organize an international mathematical conference.K ar Ping successfully
organized his first international meeting on Algebra and Number Theory in August
1988. He continued to keep in touch with Bemhard and together they promoted to
greater heights the level of mathematical awareness in the Asian region. Kar Ping has
now become the main organizer for mathematical conferences in Hong Kong and
Southeast Asia, which includes the First International Congress in Algebra
and Combinatorics in 1997 and the Satellite Conference of ICM in 2002.
Between 1982 and 1983 Bernhard also motivated AnnChi Kim from Pusan,
South Korea, to organize the 1st International Conference on Theory of Groups in
South Korea between 26-3 1 August 1983 - the first formal international conference
held in South Korea since the founding ofthe Korean Mathematical Society in 1946.
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AnnChi kept in close contact with Bemhard and eventually succeeded in organizing
his second, third and fourth conferences on Theory of Groups in 1988, 1994 and
1998, respectively. The present research group on the Theory of Groups in Korea was
founded with much leadership and motivation from Bernhard Neumann.
Yuqi Guo from Kunming, People’s Republic of China, was also was motivated
by Bemhard to organize his first International Conference on Semigroups and its
Related Topics in Yunnan University on 8-23 August 1993. Bemhard also attended
the Thailand International Conference on Geometry, 2-20 December 1991 and the
Singapore International Group Theory Conference, 8-19 June 1987.
Bemhard Neumann’s contributions to mathematics went far beyond his leader-
ship especially for Asia. He was a dedicated supporter of the Southeast Asian
Mathematical Society, having helped with the setting up of the Southeast Asian
Bulletin of Mathematics and also the Algebra Colloquium (Beijing). He had served
as the Honorary Editor for the Bulletin of the Australian Mathematical Society and
also the Australasian Journal of Combinatorics. He was an Editorial Board member
of the Houston Journal of Mathematics and Editorial Consultant for the magazine,
Mathematical Spectrum.
Bemhard was indeed a remarkable person. He was courageous, enthusiastic,
energetic, gracious, humble, inspiring, peace-loving, sympathetic, warm-hearted and
the list goes on. His contributions to the mathematical discipline, algebra especially,
are beyond words. In his long and distinguished career he had won the love and
respect of many people around the world. His contributions to mathematics will
always be remembered and his prominent role in mathematics especially for Asia
never forgotten. His absence from forthcoming conferences will be sadly missed by
friends and colleagues.
AnnChi Kim and Kar Ping Shum
We are indebted to Mike Newman for allowing us to extract some phrases from an obituary he
wrote in the GAZETTE, Australian Mathematical Society, Vol. 30, No.1 March (2003), 1-8.
