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- Categorification in representation theory
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- Home
- Our school
- Study with us
- Our research
-
Student life & resources
Postgraduate research
- Info for new students
- Current research students
- Postgraduate conference
- Postgraduate events
- Postgraduate student awards
- Michael Tallis PhD Research Travel Award
- Information about research theses
- Past research students
- Resources
- Entry requirements
- PhD projects
- Obtaining funding
- Application & fee information
Student services
- Help for postgraduate students
- Thesis guidelines
- School assessment policies
- Computing information
- Mathematics Drop-in Centre
- Consultation
- Statistics Consultation Service
- Academic advice
- Enrolment variation
- Changing tutorials
- Illness or misadventure
- Application form for existing casual tutors
- ARC grants Head of School sign off
- Computing facilities
- Choosing your major
- Engage with us
- News & events
- Contact
Abstract:
This will be an expository talk concerning the idea of categorification and its role in representation theory. We will begin with some very simple yet beautiful observations about how various ideas from basic algebra (monoids, groups, rings, representations etc.) can be reformulated in the language of category theory. We will then explain how this viewpoint leads to new ideas such as the "categorification" of the above-mentioned algebraic objects. We will conclude with a brief synopsis of some current active areas of research, including the categorification of quantum groups. One of the goals of this idea is to produce four-dimensional topological quantum field theories. Very little background knowledge will be assumed and the talk should be accessible to graduate students.