Physics and Geometry Seminar

Series: Geometry and Physics Seminar Series

Topological quantum field theory and geometric invariants

Yongbin Ruan, William Fulton Collegiate Professor, Mathematics Department, University of Michigan LSA,

During the last thirty years, quantum field theory and string theory have revolutionized many area of mathematics. Among the intensive interaction between geometry and physics, a core area is Witten's topological quantum field theory (TQFT). It leads directly to the establishment of several key geometric invariants such as Seiberg-Witten invariants, Gromov-Witten invariants and more recently so called FJRW-invariant. TQFT itself was partially motivated by Donaldson invariants. In the talk, I will survey the area as well as some new developments.

For more information, please contact Mathematics Department by phone at 4335 or by email at [email protected].