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Infinite Dimensional Lie Theory and its Applications

Workshop on Vertex Operator Algebras in Mathematics and Physics
October 23 - 27, 2000

Schedule Organizing Committee Invited Speakers Lie Theory Home Page

Overview

The workshop Vertex Operator Algebras in Mathematics and Physics will be devoted to a variety of topics, but one special theme will be relations between the theory of D-branes and the algebraic and geometric theory of vertex operator algebras. The theory of vertex operator algebras has been developing rapidly as a mathematical theory, and an increased level of understanding of the structures of conformal field theory has been achieved through extensive study of the geometry and representation theory of vertex operator algebras, the motivation being both mathematical and physical. Recent developments in string theory, in particular, the study of mirror symmetry via Gepner models and the world-sheet approach to D-branes, are expected to provide a rich source of problems for mathematicians, and these developments also suggest that the theory of vertex operator algebras might provide a mathematical foundation for a number of constructions in the theory of D-branes through the mathematical study of boundary conformal field theory. Since vertex operator algebra theory is formulated without classical geometry, it might also shed light on the problem of the meaning of space-time in string theory or M theory. It is hoped that the workshop will promote mutually beneficial interaction between mathematicians and physicists.

Organizing Committee

S. Berman, University of Saskatchewan Y. Billig, University of New Brunswick
Y.-Z. Huang, Rutgers University J. Lepowsky, Rutgers University

Invited Speakers

Peter Bantay, Eotvos University, Budapest Robert L. Griess, University of Michigan
Katrina Barron, University of California - Santa Cruz Haisheng Li, Rutgers University
Chongying Dong, University of California - Santa Cruz Fyodor Malikov, University of Southern California
Michael Douglas, Rutgers University Geoffrey Mason, University of California - Santa Cruz
Boris Feigin, Landau Institute of Theoretical Physics Antun Milas, Rutgers University
Edward Frenkel, University of California at Berkeley Andreas Recknagel, AEI Potsdam
Igor Frenkel*, Yale University Graeme Segal, University of Cambridge
Juergen Fuchs, ETH Zurich Volker Schomerus, DESY Hamburg
Doron Gepner, Weizmann Institute of Science Christoph Schweigert, Paris VI
Brian R. Greene, Columbia University Wenhua Zhao, University of Chicago

* These speakers are not yet confirmed.