~~META:title =2014~~
====== Peter Hilton Memorial Lecture - 2014 ======


**Speaker:** Doug Ravenel, University of Rochester
{{ :hiltonmemorial:ravenel.png?nolink&200x200|}}


**Title:** A Solution to the Arf-Kervaire Invariant Problem

Thursday April 10, 2014, 
Binghamton University, 
Science 2, Room 140
3:15pm. 

followed by a Reception at 4.30, in The Chenango Room, Binghamton University. 
This reception is for the whole Binghamton Mathematics Community as well as for our visitors. 

{{:hiltonmemorial:flyer2014.pdf|Flyer for the lecture}}

**Abstract:**

The Arf-Kervaire invariant problem arose from Kervaire-Milnor's classification of exotic spheres in the early 1960s. Browder's theorem of 1969 raised the stakes by connecting it with a deep question in stable homotopy theory. In 2009 Mike Hill, Mike Hopkins and I proved a theorem that solves all but one case of it. The talk will outline the history and background of the problem and give a brief idea of how we solved it.