Introduction to C*-Algebras and the Classification Program

​Karen R. Strung is a researcher in the Department of Abstract Analysis at the Institute of Mathematics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, in Prague, Czechia. I study the classification and structure of C*-algebras and their connections to dynamical systems.

“The book is extremely readable. … The book is also self-contained, and cross-references to results and definitions in the text are clear and precise. … this book is a very welcome contribution to the literature. … On the whole, the book is well written and engaging.” (Elizabeth Anne Gillaspy, Mathematical Reviews, March, 2023)“The book under review provides an overview of this classification theorem, together with a thorough introduction to the general theory of C*-algebras.” (Zhuang Niu, zbMATH 1479.46003, 2022)

• Banach algebras and spectral theory.- The Gelfand representation.- C*-algebra basics.- Positive elements.- Positive linear functionals and representations.- Weak and strong operator topologies and von Neumann algebras.- Tensor products for C*-algebras.- Completely positive maps.- Inductive limits and approximately finite (AF) C*-algebras.- Group C*-algebras and crossed products.- Cuntz algebras.- Quasidiagonal C*-algebras.- K-theory for unital C*-algebras.- Classification of AF-algebras.- Nuclear dimension.- Strongly self-absorbing algebras.- The Jiang-Su algebra.- Strict comparison and the Cuntz semigroup.- The Classification Theorem and the Toms-Winter Theorem.