List All Events

This semester, we will introduce Batalin-Vilkovisky (BV) quantization for field theories. The BV formalism is a rigorous approach to QFT which relies on homological tools as a way to resolve some of the notorious difficulties of QFT. We will discuss topics including renormalization, asymptotic freedom, and anomalies, and along the way it will become clear how the homological viewpoint puts connections to differential geometry and algebraic topology on firm footing. Although we will rely on some results from past semesters, everyone interested is encouraged to attend, and ideas will be reviewed as needed.