Abstracts

Week of January 18, 2026

January 22, 2026
Quantum Topology and Field Theory Categorifying the Schur index of Seiberg-Witten theory 4:00pm -
KT 801

The”Schur index” is typically defined as a protected operator count in 4d N=2 superconformal field theories. It turns out in fact that one can define it for a generic 4d N=2 theory, conformal or not, by using the holomorphic-topological twist. Its categorification, namely the space of holomorphic-topological local operators, is expected to be a Poisson vertex algebra. However, for a general non-conformal theory, not much is known about the shape of this PVA. For 4d N=2 gauge theories with matter, I will formulate this PVA as a (relative) Lie algebra cohomology problem and then for the case of pure SU(2) Seiberg-Witten theory propose an explicit answer for the cohomology.

January 23, 2026
Quantum Topology and Field Theory Deformation theory of vertex algebras and 'free field realizations from the Higgs branch 2:00pm -
KT 801

I will explain some results on the localization and deformation theory of vertex algebras, algebraic objects encoding a class of topological associative algebras generalizing the enveloping algebra of an affine Kac-Moody Lie algebra. I will also explain how these results can be used to give geometric constructions of free field realizations, embeddings of these algebras into infinite dimensional Weyl algebras, motivated by the physics of 4d N=2 superconformal field theories. All new results that will be presented are in joint work with Sujay Nair.

Learning seminar on Groups, Geometry and Dynamics Ergodicity of geodesic flows. 4:00pm -
KT 801

I will give an introductory talk about the  ergodicity of geodesic flows, Anosov diffeomorphisms, the Hopf argument, and the Howe-Moore Theorem. Everybody is welcome, we will go for pizza after the talk.