The Springer resolution and modular representation theory

The Springer resolution is a resolution of singularities of
the variety of nilpotent matrices. Over thirty years ago Springer
explained how to use this resolution to give a geometric construction
of the simple representations of the symmetric group. In this talk I
will explain how Springer constructed these representations, and how
the Springer resolution can be used to give a geometric construction
of all simple representations over fields of positive characteristic.