I will introduce a critical string theory in two dimensions and explain that this theory, viewed as two-dimensional quantum gravity on the worldsheet, admits an equivalent holographic description in terms of a double-scaled matrix integral. The worldsheet theory consists of Liouville CFT with central charge c>25 coupled to timelike Liouville CFT with central charge 26-c. The dual matrix...
Anyonic spin chains can be seen as lattice models where topological excitations are built in from the start. I will explain an intimate relationship between such models based unitary modular tensor categories, and the theory of von Neumann sub-factors. In particular, I will introduce a notion of (vertical) defects, which are shown to be governed by an algebraic structure isomorphic to that...
The classical hook-length formula in combinatorics relates the number
of standard Young tableaux with given shape to the product of
hook-lengths of the Young diagram. A generalization to skew Young
diagrams is due to Naruse, who obtains it as a limit of a multivariate
generalization arising from equivariant Schubert calculus.
We show that these combinatorial objects appear in a...
