RIT on Geometry and Physics Archives for Fall 2020 to Spring 2021
Organizational Meeting
When: Thu, August 29, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH 1313
Introduction to TQFTs (topological quantum field theories)
When: Thu, September 5, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: Kirwan Hall 1313
Speaker: Jacob Erickson (UMCP) -
Abstract: This will be a simple introduction to topological quantum field theories, following Atiyah. See references 1 and 2 on the RIT web page.
1-dimensional TQFTs
When: Thu, September 12, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: Kirwan Hall 1313
Speaker: Jacob Erickson (UMCP) -
Abstract: Continuing from last week, this will be a quick review of what TQFTs look like in dimension 1, with concrete examples and computations.
Introduction to SPT (symmetry-protected topological) phases
When: Thu, September 19, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: Kirwan Hall 1313
Speaker: Naren Manjunath (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: This will be an introduction to the idea of symmetry-protected phases of matter.
Introduction to invertible TQFTs
When: Thu, September 26, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: Kirwan Hall 1313
Speaker: Ian Teixeira (UMCP Math) -
Frobenius Algebras and the Classification of 2-Dimensional TQFTs
When: Thu, October 3, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Steven Jin (UMCP Math) -
Abstract: References for this subject are Lowell Abrams, Two-dimensional topological quantum field theories and Frobenius algebras, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 5 (1996), no. 5, 569-587, and Stephen Sawin, Direct sum decompositions and indecomposable TQFTs, J. Math. Phys. 36 (1995), no. 12, 6673-6680.
Topological Aspects of Gauge Fields
When: Thu, October 10, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Srivatsa Tata (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: This will be about “topological” terms in gauge theories, for example terms involving Chern classes and Chern-Simons terms.
Topological Phases and Anomalies
When: Thu, October 17, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Jerry Yao-Chieh Hu (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: This will include perturbative anomalies for continuous symmetries and projective phases and group cohomology.
Topological Phases and Anomalies, II
When: Thu, October 24, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Jerry Yao-Chieh Hu (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: This will continue the discussion from last time, with an emphasis on projective phases and group cohomology. You can find notes at
https://sites.google.com/view/jerry-yc-hu/miscellaneous
Pell surfaces, joint with Algebra/Number Theory
When: Thu, October 31, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: Kirwan Hall 1313
Speaker: Janos Kollar (Princeton Univ.) - https://web.math.princeton.edu/~kollar/
Abstract: We describe recent results on polynomial solutions of Pell's
equation, a topic started by Abel. We then use these results to exhibit
some unsolvable problems in algebraic geometry.
Chern-Simons Theory with Finite Gauge Group
When: Thu, November 7, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Sze Hong Kwong (UMCP Math) -
Abstract: This will be based on the paper of Freed and Quinn in Comm. Math. Physics 156 (1993), no. 3, 435-472, arXiv:hep-th/9111004.
Chern-Simons Theory with Finite Gauge Group, part 2
When: Thu, November 14, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Sze Hong Kwong (UMCP Math) -
Abstract: This will be based on the paper of Freed and Quinn in Comm. Math. Physics 156 (1993), no. 3, 435-472, arXiv:hep-th/9111004.
Fermionic SPT states, spin TQFTs and fermionic path integrals
When: Thu, November 21, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Jerry Yao-Chieh Hu (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: This will continue the discussion from before. You can find notes at
https://sites.google.com/view/jerry-yc-hu/miscellaneous
Extended TQFTs and the extended cobordism hypothesis
When: Thu, December 5, 2019 - 3:30pmWhere: 1313 Kirwan Hall
Speaker: Noah Chrein (UMCP Math) -
Abstract: This will be a survey of some of the ideas in Jacob Lurie's famous 2008 paper, "On the classification of topological field theories"
Organizational Meeting for Spring Semester
When: Thu, January 30, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH 1313
Review of SPT states
When: Thu, February 6, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Jerry Yao-Chieh Hu (UMCP Physics) -
Kitaev's 10-fold way
When: Thu, February 13, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Eric Kuo (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract:This talk will be about the famous paper "Periodic table for topological insulators and superconductors" by Alexei Kitaev, https://arxiv.org/abs/0901.2686.
Kitaev's 10-fold way (cont'd)
When: Thu, February 20, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Eric Kuo (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: More on Kitaev's paper https://arxiv.org/abs/0901.2686.
2D Spin TQFTs and the Dimer Model
When: Thu, February 27, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Sri Tata (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract : see notes.
2D Pin TQFTs and the Dimer Model (cont'd)
When: Thu, March 5, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313,
Speaker: Sri Tata (UMCP Physics) -
Abstract: See notes.
Spin TQFTs
When: Thu, March 12, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: MTH (Kirwan Hall) 1313
Speaker: Jerry Yao-Chieh Hu (UMCP Physics) -
Homotopy Theoretic Computations of SPT Phases
When: Thu, April 2, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: Join URL: https://umd.zoom.us/j/614678017
Speaker: Steven Jin (UMd) -
Abstract: This will be based on work of Freed and Hopkins.
Homotopy Theoretic Computations of SPT Phases
When: Thu, April 9, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: Join URL: https://umd.zoom.us/j/614678017
Speaker: Steven Jin (UMd) -
Abstract: This will be based on work of Freed and Hopkins.
Homotopy Theoretic Computations of SPT Phases
When: Thu, April 16, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: Join URL: https://umd.zoom.us/j/614678017,
Speaker: Ian Teixeira (UMd) -
Abstract: This will be based on work of Freed and Hopkins.
More on the Freed-Hopkins classification of invertible phases
When: Thu, April 23, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: via Zoom, link will be sent
Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg (UMd) -
Abstract: References: arXiv:1604.06527 and arXiv:1901.06419
The paper of Freed-Moore on twisted equivariant matter
When: Thu, April 30, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: via Zoom, link will be sent,
Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg (UMd) -
Abstract: This is about the paper of Freed and Moore, Ann. Henri Poincaré 14 (2013), no. 8, 1927-2023.
The paper of Freed-Moore on twisted equivariant matter
When: Thu, May 7, 2020 - 3:30pmWhere: via Zoom, link will be sent,
Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg (UMd) -
Abstract: This is about the paper of Freed and Moore, Ann. Henri Poincaré 14 (2013), no. 8, 1927-2023.