Algebra Seminar: Bar-Natan -- The Dogma is Wrong

Dror Bar-Natan (University of Toronto) 

Friday 18 August, 12-1pm, Place: Carslaw 375 

Title: The Dogma is Wrong 

Abstract: It has long been known that there are knot invariants associated to
semi-simple Lie algebras, and there has long been a dogma as for how to extract them:
"quantize and use representation theory".  We present an alternative and better
procedure: "centrally extend, approximate by solvable, and learn how to re-order
exponentials in a universal enveloping algebra".  While equivalent to the old invariants
via a complicated process, our invariants are in practice stronger, faster to compute
(poly-time vs.  exp-time), and clearly carry topological information.  

This is joint work with Roland van der Veen and continues work by Rozansky and Overbay.