Symmetry breaking, a view from derived geometry

We will give an overview of how physics and homological algebra have met in the setting of gauge theory, with an emphasis on how the new subject of derived geometry provides a clarifying framework. The talk’s concrete aim is to explain the Higgs mechanism (which is how certain particles ``get their mass'') as a case study. Our approach will be low-tech and will emphasize the motivations. If you have met a manifold and a homology group, you should be able to follow, even if they're not your close friends. (This talk is based on a paper with Chris Elliott.)

Speaker: Owen Gwilliam
Institution: University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Webpage: https://people.math.umass.edu/~gwilliam/(link is external)