Algebraic Topology and Physics Seminar, Week 7

Title: Algebraic Curves and Knots Speaker: Sergei Gukov, California Institute of Technology Date: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm Place: Seminar Room 313, Simons Center          

Yashar Ahmadian – Interplay of Random and Structured Connectivity in the Dynamics of Neural Networks

Speaker: Yashar Ahmadian (Columbia University) Title: Interplay of Random and Structured Connectivity in the Dynamics of Neural Networks When: Tuesday, March 6, 2012 Time: 11:30 am Where: Simons Center, Third Floor, Seminar Room 313 Abstract: Synaptic connectivity of neural circuits may range from completely disordered to very structured. Common hypotheses are that high level areas such … Read more

Graeme Segal, “Deformations of Quantum Field Theories”

Title: Deformations of Quantum Field Theories Speaker: Graeme Segal, All Souls’ College, Oxford Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm Place: Lecture Hall 102, Simons Center             Abstract: I shall discuss the definition of local fields in quantum field theory, and their relation to deformations of the theory and to the construction … Read more

Algebraic Topology and Physics Seminar, Week 6

Title: Semi-Infinite Cycles in Floer Theory Speaker: Max Lipiansky, Columbia University Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm Place: Seminar Room 313, Simons Center             Abstract: Floer theory associates a Morse-type chain complex to certain infinite dimensional configuration spaces equipped with a functional. We will describe an alternative formulation that may be … Read more

Algebraic Topology and Physics Seminar, Week 5

Title: “Higher Categories and State Sum Constructions of Extended TQFTs” Speaker: Alexander Kirillov, Stony Brook University Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Time: 10:30am – 11:30am Place: Seminar Room 313, Simons Center             Abstract: This talk will be closely related with Noah Snyder’s talk from last week. We will discuss an approach to constructions of extended … Read more

Kenji Fukaya, How Homological Mirror Symmetry is Expected to Imply (classical) Mirror Symmetry

Title: “How Homological Mirror Symmetry is Expected to Imply (classical) Mirror Symmetry” Speaker: Kenji Fukaya, Kyoto University Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012 Time: 2:30pm – 3:30pm Place: Lecture Hall Room 102, Simons Center Abstract: When mirror symmetry was discovered, what surprised mathematicians was its application to counting of the number of holomorphic spheres (for example in the quintic 3-fold). Later … Read more

Eliezer Rabinovici, Confirming Prejudices and Encountering Surprises in the Study of the AdS/CFT Correspondence

Title: “Confirming Prejudices and Encountering Surprises in the Study of the AdS/CFT Correspondence” Speaker: Dr. Eliezer Rabinovici, Hebrew University Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm Place: Lecture Hall Room 102, Simons Center             Abstract: I will describe on the one hand how the sting was removed from the so called Black … Read more

Algebraic Topology and Physics Seminar, Week 4

Title: “Local Topological Field Theory and Fusion Categories” Speaker: Noah Synder, Columbia University Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Time: 10:30am – 11:30am Place: Seminar Room 313, Simons Center             Abstract: Topological field theories give a close relationship between topology and algebra. Traditionally the main application has been from algebra to topology: using algebraic … Read more

Dr. Gang Tian, Transgression Forms and Kähler Geometry

Title:“Transgression Forms and Kähler Geometry” Speaker: Dr. Gang Tian, Princeton University Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 Time: 01:00pm – 02:00pm Place:Lecture Hall 102, Simons Center     Abstract: The Chern-Weil theory associates each Hermitian metric with a set of differential forms representing the Chern classes. Given two different metrics, the difference of these forms can … Read more