Date:	Mon, January 17, 2011
Time:	17:15
Place:	Research II Lecture Hall

Abstract: Finite W-algebras are certain associative algebras arising in Lie theory, more precisely, in the representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras. In full generality they were defined by Premet in 2002. In my talk I will try to explain what W-algebras are, what is known about their representations and how they can be useful in the representation theory of complex semisimple Lie algebras. The talk is aimed on the general audience.