Quantum invariants and hyperbolic manifolds in three-dimensional topology. The project aims to broaden our understanding of three-dimensional (3-D) spaces, including spaces that arise in engineering, microbiology and physics. It is known that all 3-D spaces can be decomposed into geometric pieces. The most common type of geometry is hyperbolic. It is also known that such spaces have algebraic structures arising from quantum physics, known as quantum invariants. Several important conjectures, bas ....Quantum invariants and hyperbolic manifolds in three-dimensional topology. The project aims to broaden our understanding of three-dimensional (3-D) spaces, including spaces that arise in engineering, microbiology and physics. It is known that all 3-D spaces can be decomposed into geometric pieces. The most common type of geometry is hyperbolic. It is also known that such spaces have algebraic structures arising from quantum physics, known as quantum invariants. Several important conjectures, based on developments in physics, assert that hyperbolic geometry and quantum invariants are deeply related, but they remain unproved. The project aims to find new relationships between hyperbolic geometry and quantum invariants, advancing our understanding of both areas.Read moreRead less
Proving the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory correspondence. This project aims to provide the first precise mathematical statement and geometric proof of the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory (LG/CFT) correspondence for simple singularities, a physically motivated principle that relates hypersurface singularities in algebraic geometry to representations of vertex algebras in conformal field theory. The formalism developed here is expected to clarify the nature of the correspondence an ....Proving the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory correspondence. This project aims to provide the first precise mathematical statement and geometric proof of the Landau-Ginzburg/Conformal Field Theory (LG/CFT) correspondence for simple singularities, a physically motivated principle that relates hypersurface singularities in algebraic geometry to representations of vertex algebras in conformal field theory. The formalism developed here is expected to clarify the nature of the correspondence and lead directly to generalisations beyond simple singularities, as well as provide a dictionary to translate methods of CFT into singularity theory and vice versa. These results will further cement Australia's reputation as an international leader in pure mathematics and mathematical physics research.Read moreRead less
Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating ....Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating these quantum invariants to classical topology and geometry. The project will have a major impact in low-dimensional topology, and lead to deep and unexpected connections between mathematics and mathematical physics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100633
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,169.00
Summary
Problems in the Langlands Program. The Langlands program is an international research program sitting at the interface of number theory, representation theory, algebraic geometry, and mathematical physics. The aim of this project is to prove three conjectures in this program. Settling these conjectures would lead to significant advances in the Langlands program by strengthening connections between this program and the geometry of loop groups, representations of finite groups, and representations ....Problems in the Langlands Program. The Langlands program is an international research program sitting at the interface of number theory, representation theory, algebraic geometry, and mathematical physics. The aim of this project is to prove three conjectures in this program. Settling these conjectures would lead to significant advances in the Langlands program by strengthening connections between this program and the geometry of loop groups, representations of finite groups, and representations of affine Kac-Moody algebras at the critical level.Read moreRead less
Frobenius manifolds from a geometrical and categorical viewpoint. This project aims to provide connections between Frobenius manifolds obtained from algebraic curves in diverse ways. The different constructions, using complex geometry on the one hand and category theory on the other, provide, respectively, a quantitative and qualitative view on the same Frobenius manifold. Together, these distinct points of view allow for the calculation of previously inaccessible physical quantities, and point ....Frobenius manifolds from a geometrical and categorical viewpoint. This project aims to provide connections between Frobenius manifolds obtained from algebraic curves in diverse ways. The different constructions, using complex geometry on the one hand and category theory on the other, provide, respectively, a quantitative and qualitative view on the same Frobenius manifold. Together, these distinct points of view allow for the calculation of previously inaccessible physical quantities, and point to deep new relations between algebraic, complex and differential geometry. These relations are expected to guide new fundamental research on the border of mathematics and physics.Read moreRead less
Physical realisation of enriched quantum symmetries. This project aims to investigate fundamental mathematical structures in modern category theory, providing an algebraic description of physical systems including topological order and conformal field theory. The project will study quantum symmetry, and classify and construct new classes of conformal field theories, using novel tools from enriched category theory, modular forms, and lattice gauge theory.
The main goal is to understand the lands ....Physical realisation of enriched quantum symmetries. This project aims to investigate fundamental mathematical structures in modern category theory, providing an algebraic description of physical systems including topological order and conformal field theory. The project will study quantum symmetry, and classify and construct new classes of conformal field theories, using novel tools from enriched category theory, modular forms, and lattice gauge theory.
The main goal is to understand the landscape of topological and conformal field theories, laying the foundation for new technologies based on topological order. This timely project capitalises on the recent arrival of subfactor experts in Australia, and builds capacity in mathematical research and international links in a cutting edge field.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100650
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$359,320.00
Summary
The geometry and combinatorics of moduli spaces. Moduli spaces are high-dimensional geometric objects whose rich structure holds the key to various problems in mathematics. They are of fundamental importance to modern geometry and theoretical models of the universe. This project will develop novel techniques to answer questions concerning moduli spaces and yield new insight into their structure.
Applications of generalised geometry to duality in quantum theory. This project will undertake research into mathematics at the forefront of modern physics. The aim of the project is to develop a mathematical theory of T-duality, a phenomenon in quantum physics, using generalised geometry.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100407
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,066.00
Summary
Homology theories in quantum topology. This project aims to resolve a major 25-year-old open problem relating the quantum topology of knots, 3- and 4-dimensional spaces to higher representation theory, the study of hidden symmetries of algebraic structures. The project expects to use homological invariants of knots and the higher representation theory of quantum groups to construct highly anticipated invariants of 3- and 4-dimensional manifolds and tools to compute these invariants by reduction ....Homology theories in quantum topology. This project aims to resolve a major 25-year-old open problem relating the quantum topology of knots, 3- and 4-dimensional spaces to higher representation theory, the study of hidden symmetries of algebraic structures. The project expects to use homological invariants of knots and the higher representation theory of quantum groups to construct highly anticipated invariants of 3- and 4-dimensional manifolds and tools to compute these invariants by reduction to basic building blocks. Expected outcomes also include new connections to diverse areas in mathematics. This is expected to benefit Australian science by invigorating collaboration in mathematics and theoretical physics and by attracting students and distinguished research visitors. Read moreRead less
Symmetry and geometric partial differential equations. This project aims to develop tools to assist the study of partial differential equations, which are fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. Symmetries of the Laplace equation are fundamental in both finding and interpreting its solutions and can be traced to the conformal symmetries of the underlying space. Only for the most symmetric of spaces, Euclidean space and the sphere, is this correspondence well understood. Using pow ....Symmetry and geometric partial differential equations. This project aims to develop tools to assist the study of partial differential equations, which are fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. Symmetries of the Laplace equation are fundamental in both finding and interpreting its solutions and can be traced to the conformal symmetries of the underlying space. Only for the most symmetric of spaces, Euclidean space and the sphere, is this correspondence well understood. Using powerful geometric tools from conformal geometry, the project will extend this to less symmetric spaces. The knowledge generated from this project will extend to more general geometric contexts providing a concrete setting for the study of the associated natural equations in curved spaces.Read moreRead less