Wales Institute of Mathematical and Computational Sciences

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/maths/subsites/opalg/eu-ncg/fs6.html

 

 

Subfactors have played a special role in the last twenty five years in von Neumann algebras and operator algebras and developed a successful symbiosis with topology, geometry, statistical mechanics and conformal field theory. Their analysis and classification has been studied through paragroups of Adrian Ocneanu, and the lambda lattices or towers of relative commutants of Sorin Popa. One approach advocated and developed by Vaughan Jones is through planar algebras.

This school, will begin with a series of introductory lectures on the subfactor planar algebras by Pinhas Grossman (Cardiff), followed by more advanced courses by Shami Ghosh (KU Leuven), Richard Burstein (Vanderbilt), and Stephen Bigelow (UCSB) on more recent and current work, and by Julien Bichon (Clermont-Ferrand) on quantum permutation groups. The school and courses will be aimed towards young researchers, particularly graduate students who wish to learn about the area that so far has been under represented in Europe.

Connections in the school with physics, conformal field theory and string theory will be achieved in a number of ways. There will be a series of talks by Juergen Fuchs  (Karlstad) on conformal field theory where a graphical calculus and subfactor notions such as alpha-induction have played a key role. There will also be individual talks on relations between quiver gauge theories, dimer models, brane tilings, Calabi-Yau algebras, tilting modules, A-infinity structures, geometric resolutions and noncommutative geometry by Amihay Hanany (Imperial), Yang-Hui He (Oxford), Alexander Quintero-Velez (Glasgow) etc – all of which are related to subfactor theory. Embedded in the programme will be a WIMCS Colloquium by Marcos Marino Beiras (Geneva) and Richard Thomas (Imperial) at Swansea.

There will also be an opportunity for individuals to present new work, with priority given to young researchers. Proposals for such can be made on the registration form:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/maths/subsites/opalg/eu-ncg/pa-reg.shtml

 

Details of accommodation can already be found at the school page, as well as more detailed synopsis of the talks and timetables in the coming days.