RIT on Geometry and Physics Archives for Fall 2016 to Spring 2017


Organizational meeting for fall

When: Thu, September 3, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: PHY 1117
Speaker: () -
Abstract: We will discuss possible topics for fall. A few regular members of the seminar are on leave this term, so that might require some adjustments.

Introduction to moduli spaces of Higgs bundles

When: Thu, September 10, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Richard Wentworth (UMCP) - http://math.umd.edu/~raw


Introduction to moduli spaces of Higgs bundles (part 2)

When: Thu, September 17, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Richard Wentworth (UMCP) - http://math.umd.edu/~raw


Introduction to mirror symmetry (a physicist's view)

When: Thu, September 24, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Tristan Hubsch (Howard and UMd) - http://physics1.howard.edu/~thubsch/


A crash course on Hodge theory

When: Thu, October 1, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Paul Green (UMd)
Abstract: We will give a quick review of those aspects of Hodge theory needed for mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau manifolds. Topics will include the Hodge filtration and the Gauss-Manin connection.


Introduction to mirror symmetry (a physicist's view), cont'd

When: Thu, October 8, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Tristan Hubsch (Howard and UMd) - http://physics1.howard.edu/~thubsch/


Hodge theory, part 2: Monodromy and mirror symmetry after Morrison

When: Thu, October 15, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Paul Green (UMd)
Abstract: We will continue the discussion of Hodge theory with emphasis on the monodromy associated with families of Calabi-Yau manifolds. A useful reference
is the paper of David Morrison: Mirror symmetry and rational curves on quintic threefolds: a guide for mathematicians. J. Amer. Math. Soc. 6 (1993), no. 1, 223-247.
A link may be found on the RIT Wiki.

Hodge theory, part 3: Monodromy and mirror symmetry after Morrison

When: Thu, October 22, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Paul Green (UMd)
Abstract: We will continue the discussion of Hodge theory with emphasis on the monodromy associated with families of Calabi-Yau manifolds. A useful reference
is the paper of David Morrison: Mirror symmetry and rational curves on quintic threefolds: a guide for mathematicians. J. Amer. Math. Soc. 6 (1993), no. 1, 223-247.
A link may be found on the RIT Wiki. In this third lecture we will explain how everything works in the case originally treated by Candelas-de la Ossa-Green-Parkes.

Introduction to mirror symmetry (a physicist's view), part 3

When: Thu, October 29, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Tristan Hubsch (Howard and UMd) - http://physics1.howard.edu/~thubsch/


no meeting to avoid conflict with geometry talk by David Hoffman

When: Thu, November 5, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where:


The paper of Connes and Chamseddine on the spectral action principle --- CANCELLED, lecture will be online with notes

When: Thu, November 12, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Matt Calkins (UMd)
Abstract: We'll discuss the famous paper by A. Chamseddine and A. Connes, The spectral action principle, Comm. Math. Phys. 186 (1997), no. 3, 731-750. The idea is to show that a "noncommutative space" (an algebra A playing the role of "functions on the space", a Hilbert space H with a representation of A, and a self-adjoint operator (like the Dirac operator) "almost commuting" with A) naturally comes with a "spectral action", and that many physical theories arise this way.



Givental's approach to mirror symmetry

When: Thu, November 19, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Amin Gholampour (UMd)


Givental's approach to mirror symmetry (cont'd)

When: Thu, December 3, 2015 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Amin Gholampour (UMd)


Mirror Symmetry, Tyurin Degenerations, and Calabi-Yau Fibrations

When: Thu, January 28, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: PHYS 1117
Speaker: Chuck Doran (Alberta and Maryland)
Abstract: In 2002, at the Fano Conference, Andrey Tyurin made two insightful proposals regarding Calabi-Yau manifolds and their moduli: (1) a definition of “constructive” Calabi-Yau manifolds, i.e., those which admit degenerations to a union of two quasi-Fano varieties intersecting transversely, and (2) a question of how the mirror Calabi-Yau manifolds should be related to the mirror Landau-Ginzburg models of the component Fano varieties. We will explore these proposals, working our way up in dimension, and survey our results to date, with a special emphasis on the quintic/quintic mirror Calabi-Yau threefolds. This is a recap of my talk at the String-Math Conference earlier this month.


Mirror Symmetry (cont.)

When: Thu, February 4, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Chuck Doran (Alberta and UMCP) -


Monodromy and mirror symmetry (cont.)

When: Thu, February 11, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: PHYS 1117
Speaker: Paul Green (UMCP) -


Mirror symmetry (cont.)

When: Thu, February 18, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: PHYS 1117
Speaker: Tristan Hubsch (Howard) -


Mirror symmetry (cont.)

When: Thu, February 25, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: PHYS 1117
Speaker: Chuck Doran (Alberta and UMCP) -


Universal conformal semigroup after Segal

When: Thu, March 3, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Paul Green (UMCP) -


Arithmetic Berglund-Hubsch Duality

When: Thu, March 24, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Marco Aldi (Virginia Commonwealth)
Abstract: Building on earlier results of Borisov, we describe a conceptual proof of Berglund-Hübsch mirror symmetry. We also describe a variant of our construction that is remarkably effective in the study of certain arithmetic properties of the underlying mirror dual Calabi-Yau's. This is joint work with Andrija Peruničić.


On the proof of Yau-Zaslow conjecture by Klemm-Maulik-Pandhripande-Scheidegger

When: Thu, March 31, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Amin Gholampour (UMCP) -


Vertical DT invariants and modular forms (note special time and place --- combined with Algebra Seminar)

When: Thu, April 7, 2016 - 1:00pm
Where: Math 1313
Speaker: Artan Sheshmani (Ohio State and MIT) - https://people.math.osu.edu/sheshmani.1/Welcome.html
Abstract: I will talk about derivation of an explicit formula for the generating function of all DT invariants counting "vertical" two dimensional sheaves on K3 fibrations. The final expressions will be shown to satisfy strong modularity properties. In particular I will talk about a new construction of vector valued modular forms which emerges from the geometric framework, exhibiting some of the features of a Hecke transform. This is joint work with Vincent Bouchard, Thomas Creutzig, Emanuel Diaconescu, Charles Doran and Callum Quigley.

D-brane charges in WZW models

When: Thu, April 14, 2016 - 3:30pm
Where: Phys 1117
Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg (UMd)
Abstract: I will discuss some calculations of twisted K-theory for compact Lie groups
and what this has to do with D-brane charges in WZW models and rank-level duality.
This is joint work with Mathai Varghese.