Lecture List

They finally posted the 2008-09 lecture list. The good news is none of the courses I really want to take conflict. The bad news is this doesn’t help me narrow down my course selection, and I currently want to take more than twice as many as I can exam for in June. At this point I think I’ll just see how the first few weeks go before I narrow it down. Here are the courses I’m considering taking (I’ll only actually be able to take about 7 of them):

• Michaelmas term (Fall)
  • Topics in Group Theory
  • Commutative Algebra
  • Finite Dimensional Lie Algebras
  • Introduction to Functional Analysis
  • Combinatorics
  • Algebraic Topology
  • Algebraic Geometry
  • Category Theory
• Lent term (Spring)
  • Decision Problems in Group Theory
  • Character Theory of Finite Groups
  • Analysis of Operators
  • Additive Combinatorics
  • Combinatorics and Percolation
  • Topos Theory
  • Set Theory and Logic
• Easter term (Later Spring)
  • Computational Complexity

Michaelmas term is the October to December term, Lent term is January to March and Easter term is April to June. Most of the lectures are in Michaelmas and Lent terms, while Easter is primarily intended as a time to study for the exams in June which cover the whole year.

Student Visa

I am finally legally able to enter the UK (as a student staying longer than 6 months). I was beginning to get worried that I wouldn’t receive it in time, as I’m leaving in less than 2 weeks, but all is now good. Here is a timeline of my visa application process which might be informative for others applying for a UK student visa.

• 26 August – Completed online application and scheduled the first available biometric appointment. Apparently this appointment must be at least 1 week later.
• 2 September – Biometric appointment. All of my supporting documents were already organized so I sent in my application packet the same day.
• 3 September - FedEx reports that application packet has been received by British Consulate in L.A.
• 2 weeks of silence. I knew the consulate was supposed to send an email when they received the packet, usually withing a few days. I got no such email and was getting nervous.
• 16 September – Email saying they had received my application and that they would make a decision in 5 days.
• 17 September – Email saying that my visa had been issued and package had been sent overnight UPS.
• 18 September – Missed UPS delivery. They (luckily) will not leave the package full of your passport, etc. sitting on the porch.
• 19 September – Received second delivery attempt. Passport with new visa, along with all supporting documents (except the one from the biometric people).

If you are applying for a student visa from the UK I recommend applying much earlier for your own sanity. I applied so late because I was informed by Trinity (my college at Cambridge) that they would be sending additional documentation to support my visa application in August. This did not arrive until 18 August, right before I had my wisdom teeth taken out (which further delayed matters as you are not supposed to attend your biometric appointment with any swelling or bruising on your face). I did include a letter from this August packet from Trinity in my visa application, but I don’t think it was necessary. It didn’t say anything not already said in earlier letters.

First Post!

Welcome to my blog. I leave for Cambridge on October 2 (or “2 October” I guess). I’ve been keeping myself busy brushing up on category theory, algebra and other topics that seem like they might be useful. Its been great to get back into math after being a code monkey all summer.

Unfortunately, I can’t just sit around doing math all day. Boring practical matters like moving my stuff out of my parents’ houses keep distracting me. I’m quite the pack rat, particularly when it comes to papers. I have homework assignments from junior high, and I’m not sure I’ve ever thrown out a sheet that had math on it. Its been a lot of fun…

This blog also falls into the “distracting me from math” category. When I went to Budapest in Spring ‘07 I did a very poor job keeping people back home posted on what I was up to. Hopefully this blog will make sure that wont happen at Cambridge this year. So far it has been more fun than going through my piles of paper (but maybe not as much fun as algebra).