Distinguished Lecture Series
Michael Hopkins
Harvard University
Chern-Weil invariants and abstract homotopy theory
Abstract: Nature does not come to us with a coordinate system. In
writing down the equations describing the evolution of physical
systems, it is therefore important that the mathematical entities that
arise do not depend on a choice of coordinates. The Chern-Weil
invariants are important examples of such entities. In this talk I
will explain the Chern-Weil invariants and how one is led by by
thinking carefully about them to modern day abstract homotopy theory.
This is also the Department Colloquium this week; note the different room (LCD 005, not the usual SEO 636). Tea in SEO 300 at 4:15pm.
Friday March 7, 2014 at 3:00 PM in LCD 005