Eric M. Friedlander

Title: Support Varieties

Abstract: We give a survey of algebro-geometric techniques developed to investigate modular representation theory
of "groups" associated to an algebraic group. Forty years ago, D. Quillen initiated this with his determination of the
homeomorphism type of the spectrum of the cohomology ring of a finite group. Subsequently, suport varieties were
introduced associated to group representations, initially defined as subvarieties of this spectrum of cohomology.
Over the years, more refined invariants of representations have been formulated and more general "groups" than
finite groups have been considered. Work in progress suggests that at least some aspects of these techniques apply
as well to representations of algebraic groups.