G. Williamson: The Springer resolution and modular representation theory

Abstract: 

Over thirty years ago Springer constructed a resolution of
singularities of the nilpotent cone, and showed how one may use its
fibres to construct the simple representations of Weyl groups. I will
explain how the Springer resolutions may also be used to understand
modular representations. (This is a mix of old unpublished results of
Springer and new unpublished joint work with Daniel Juteau.)