Math Graduate Student Seminar

In the last 30 years, topology has found itself at the center of many developments in modern condensed matter physics. These topological themes have a universal character which make them amenable both to an abstract description by category theory and to a practical use in quantum computing. In my talk I will speak broadly of the field, while staying grounded in a specific project I was part of last winter. I will also emphasize the extent to which the tools from mathematics are lagging behind the physics, as an invitation to more mathematicians to get involved in this area.