January 15, 2010 from 16:00 to 18:00 (Montreal/EST time) On location
Colloquium presented by Jim Bryan
Over the last few decades, sophisticated theories, often inspired by string theory, have been developed for counting curves on Calabi-Yau threefolds. For the particularly nice class of toric threefolds, these theories reduce to a beautiful combinatorial problem: how many different ways are there of piling boxes in a corner? When the curve counting is considered for toric orbifolds, the combinatorial problem transforms into counting colored boxes. We will assume no knowledge of Calabi-Yau threefolds, toric geometry, orbifolds, or string theory. Experience stacking boxes in a moving van is helpful, but not necessary.
Address
UQAM, Pav. Sherbrooke, 200, rue Sherbrooke O., room SH-3420