RIT on Geometry and Physics Archives for Fall 2014 to Spring 2015


Organizational Meeting

When: Thu, January 30, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg, William Linch, Richard Wentworth (UMCP) -
Abstract: We'll give a quick non-technical introduction to a number of possible topics linking geometry and physics, and then try to decide how to proceed.

Foundations of Sigma Models

When: Thu, February 6, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: William Linch (UMCP) -
Abstract: We will start going over the basic prerequisites for the planned main topics of discussion, and show how sigma models cover many basic ideas in physics and differential geometry.

cancelled because of snow

When: Thu, February 13, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where:
But you might want to attend the physics colloquium by Charles Doran on 2/18, which is about the mathematics of supersymmetry.

Sigma models and fields

When: Thu, February 20, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: William Linch (UMCP)
Abstract: We'll continue the discussion of sigma models and variational problems to see how they encode things like gauge fields. If time permits, we might move on to basics of supersymmetry.

Spinors

When: Thu, February 27, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Matthew Calkins (UMCP)

Introduction to supersymmetry

When: Thu, March 6, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Sungwoo Hong (UMCP)

Introduction to supersymmetry

When: Thu, March 13, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Sungwoo Hong (UMCP)

Representations of the supersymmetry algebra

When: Thu, March 27, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Sungwoo Hong (UMCP)
Abstract: Now that we've explained the structure of the super-Poincare algebra, we will start to discuss what it's irreducible representations look like, both with and without mass.

Superfields

When: Thu, April 3, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Simon Riquelme (UMCP)
Abstract: We begin the discussion of superfields and field theories with supersymmetry.

Supermanifolds (from a mathematics point of view)

When: Thu, April 10, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Richard Wentworth (UMCP)
Abstract: We give a mathematician's approach to supermanifolds and superfields.

Super-Riemann surfaces

When: Thu, April 17, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Paul Green (UMCP)
Abstract: A spin structure, or spinor bundle, on a circle or Riemann surface is a square root of the one(respectively real or complex)-dimensional tangent bundle. By interpreting the Jacobi identities for a super-Lie algebra in a conceptual way , which makes it unnecessary to worry about signs, we are able to assign, in a unique way, an infinite dimensional super-Lie algebra structure to every circle or Riemann surface with spin structure, where the even part consists of smooth (respectively, meromorphic) vector fields, and the odd part consists of sections of the spinor bundle. All of this plays an important role in analyzing the concept of a conformal field theory in the sense of Segal.

Super-Riemann Surfaces, Part 2

When: Thu, April 24, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Paul Green (UMCP)
Abstract: We will continue the discussion of super-Riemann surfaces and the super-Virasoro and super-Novikov-Krichever algebras

Supergravity

When: Thu, May 1, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Simon Riquelme (UMCP)
Abstract: An introduction to supergravity, and attempt to put general relativity into a supersymmetric setting.

Super-Riemann surfaces, Part 3

When: Thu, May 8, 2014 - 3:00pm
Where: Physics 4208
Speaker: Paul Green (UMCP)
Abstract: More on super-Riemann surfaces and conformal field theory.