C*-Algebras and Topological Dynamics 1: From Dynamical Systems to Operator Algebras

Ian Putnam, University of Victoria, Canada

Abstract. The focus of the lecture is on the construction of C*-algebras from topological dynamical systems. I will describe this, giving some examples and without assuming any background in either subject. The discussion will then turn to the question of what each topic may learn from the other in each of the examples.