Title: The direct summand theorem, Cohen-Macaulay algebras, and their role in Commutative algebra.

Abstract: This first lecture (colloquium talk) will introduce and put in perspective some central questions in commutative algebra related to the so-called homological conjectures. Starting with finite coverings, our path will eventually leave the Noetherian world for the non-Noetherian, and Algebra for almost Algebra.

Recording: https://huji.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=3b1b7aa1-ccbc-40d5-b1c0-afe2005916b8