Advances in Quantum and Low-Dimensional Topology; March 2016; University of Iowa

California State University-Fresno Foundation, Fresno CA

Investigators

Abstract

The conference "Advances in Quantum and Low-Dimensional Topology" will be held at the University of Iowa in March 11-13, 2016. This award provides travel support for conference participants with a focus on funding junior investigators, students, mathematicians from underrepresented groups, and other active researchers without their own sources of funding. The goals of the conference are to (1) provide an environment fostering formation of new collaborative communities between mathematicians at all levels and in varying disciplines that touch on quantum and low-dimensional topology; (2) to energize and advance transformative research in the areas of quantum and low-dimensional topology; and (3) involve new Ph.D. recipients, graduate students, and mathematicians from underrepresented groups in this active research area. It will also allow leading researchers to disseminate their ideas to a larger audience. This conference will focus on quantum invariants for knots and three-manifolds and topics connected to these. These invariants possess a rich structure and, in addition to quantum groups, relate to statistical mechanics, quantum field theory, and affine Lie algebras. Presenters have been working on the A-polynomial, skein module quantizations of character varieties, skein algebras, categorified invariants, and other algebraic and combinatorial themes motivated by knot theory. In recent years there has been an explosion of interest in these topics as well as their applications and potential impact on other areas of scientific investigations. There are many new connections to explore in the future. The conference will attract many researchers working in quantum and low-dimensional topology, and their ramifications, and will be a venue for diversity and breadth of participation not only by individuals but also by institutions. The program will provide ample opportunity for graduate students, postdocs, and other young scientists to present their work. The conference website will be located at https://sites.google.com/site/advquantlowstop2016/.