The fascination of what's difficult: Mathematical aspects of classical water wave theory from the past 20 years

Experimental observations about steady water waves have famously challenged mathematicians since Stokes and Scott-Russell in the 19th century and modern methods of global analysis are inadequate to answer the simplest of questions raised by careful numerical experiments in the 20th century. This lecture concerns mathematical advances that have emerged since Brooke's untimely death in 1995 and elucidates important challenges that remain to the present day. All are warmly invited to attend the lecture and reception that follows.