String Topology and Applications

Abstract: In this talk we try to give an idea of what string topology is and what it does. The basic theory is based on some simple but insightful observations of Dennis Sullivan and Moira Chas. These ideas and related ones have found a wide range of applications to the study of mapping spaces, knot spaces, gauge theory or tqft. We discuss towards the end ongoing work on the topology of some spaces of rational maps (joint with P. Salvatore and W. Ben Hammouda).

Refreshments will be served at 2:45 p.m. (Math Lounge, MATX 1115).