Summer School

Vertex Algebras and Related Topics

Erwin Schrödinger Institute, Vienna
June 12 - July 2, 2005

organized by Edward Frenkel, Victor Kac, Joachim Schwermer

The theory of vertex algebras is a rapidly growing field of mathematics, involving the collaboration of a large number of mathematicians and physicists all over the world. Many connections of this field have been established with other branches of mathematics and physics, including algebraic geometry (mirror symmetry, chiral differential operators and chiral de Rham complex), algebraic topology (elliptic genus), representation theory (geometric Langlands correspondence, W-algebras and superconformal algebras), operator algebras (conformal nets), 2D conformal field theory and string theory.
The workshop will also explore higher dimensional quantum field theories related to the beautiful new conjectures and results about the partition function for 4D quantum field theory. Leading experts in this area and related fields will give mini-courses and survey lectures at the school.

The list of speakers includes: Victor Kac (MIT), Edward Frenkel (Berkeley),David Ben-Zvi (Texas), Andrei Okounkov (Princeton), Tomoyuki Arakawa (Nagoya), Fedor Malikov (USC), Alberto de Sole (Harvard), Roberto Longo (Rome).

Schedule for mini-courses:
V. Kac"Introduction to vertex algebras and their representations"June 13,15,17
R. Longo "Operator algebras and Quantum Field Theory"June 13,15,17
D. Ben-Zvi"Factorisation and chiral algebras"June 13,15,17
A. Okoun'kov"Instanton counting"June 20,22,24
F. Malikov"Algebras of chiral differential operators"June 20,22,24
A. de Sole"Finite and infinite W-algebras"June 20,22,24
T. Arakawa"Representation theory of W-algebras"June 27,29,1
E. Frenkel"Vertex algebras of geometric origin"June 27,29,1

Mini-courses are given at 9-10:30 , 11-12:30 and 2-3:30. The time slot 4-5:30 and the other days are reserved for other talks.

 

Joachim Schwermer
Director, ESI