From Representation Theory to Mathematical Physics and Back

The theme of the meeting is the continued influence of mathematics and physics on each other. In particular, the workshop will highlight progress in the areas of vertex operator algebras, conformal field theory, representation theory of affine Lie algebras, loop groups, and quantum groups.

Advances in positive representations of real quantum groups and their connections to cluster algebras will be reported on. Recent developments in quantum invariants of 3 and 4-dimensional manifolds coming from mathematical physics and their connections to vertex algebras will also be highlighted. Categorified quantum groups and link invariants from various representation theoretic, algebraic-geometric, and physical perspectives will also be a focus of the workshop.