Richard Rimanyi (UNC): Elliptic cohomology

Abstract:

Assigning characteristic classes to singular varieties is an effective way of studying their local and global properties. Relations to physics indicate that the right habitat of these characteristic classes is elliptic cohomology. In this talk we will explore the notion of elliptic cohomology, and one of its advantages, namely its role in (a mathematically precise level of) 3d mirror symmetry.