This award supports participation in the 50th Arkansas Spring Lecture Series on the Fayetteville campus of the University of Arkansas from May 15-17, 2025. The conference focuses on topics at the forefront of current mathematical research: the theory of linkage, residual intersections, and their applications. It features a series of lectures by Bernd Ulrich of Purdue University, along with talks given by other leading experts, including early-career mathematicians. The conference aims to foster collaborative discussions among researchers and provides professional development opportunities for early-career participants. The event also includes a public lecture for the local community. Linkage and residual intersections have been subjects of intense research by mathematicians specializing in commutative algebra since the 1970s. Recently developed techniques from representation theory that have been effective in understanding these concepts will be highlighted at the conference, as well as the connections between these topics and other areas, such as combinatorial commutative algebra. Several open problems will be presented, providing a roadmap for the future advancements in the area. Further information can be found on the conference website: https://math.uark.edu/research/spring-lecture-series/index.php This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts