Lower bounds on the maximum dimension of a simple module in characteristic p

Abstract

We obtain lower bounds for the maximum dimension of a simple FG-module, where G is a finite group and F is an algebraically closed field of characteristic p. The bounds are described in terms of properties of p-subgroups of G. When p is 2 or p is a Mersenne prime, the bounds take a different form, due to exceptions which arise for such primes.