Geometry and Physics Seminar: Terry Gannon

  • Date: 10/16/2013
  • Time: 15:10
Lecturer(s):
Terry Gannon (UAlberta)
Location: 

University of British Columbia

Topic: 

We're still pretty dumb!

Description: 

The subfactors theory of Jones and the vertex operator algebras of Borcherds should describe the same objects: conformal field theories or, what is more or less the same thing, perturbative string theory. The VOA approach is close to the physics intuition; on the other hand, the subfactors approach is suggesting that we know about 0% of all rational CFTs which actually exist. My talk won't assume much. I'll describe in broad strokes what these two approaches are about, and why subfactors are predicting so many new CFT.

Other Information: 

Location: ESB 4127.

This seminar is hosted at U of A and streamed live at PIMS.