Geometry and String Theory Seminar

Dr. Tudor Dimofte, IAS-Princeton

"A three-dimensional bridge between physics and mathematics"

12:00pm, RLM 12.166 (Note special room this week only.)

Abstract:
I will discuss aspects of a "3d-3d correspondence" that assigns a three-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theory T[M] to any three-manifold M. The assignment is of a functorial nature, and has connected the study of 3d gauge theories to some beautiful mathematics, including "quantum" topological invariants of 3-manifolds, their categorification via a new analogue of Khovanov homology, the combinatorics of ideal triangulations (as first developed by Thurston and Neumann-Zagier), and the study of cluster algebras and their morphisms. In all these cases, the gauge theory perspective has led to new insights, structure, and results. (No prior knowledge of supersymmetric gauge theory will be assumed in the talk.)