Abstract

The application of topology to physics has become an integral part of a second quantum revolution in the sciences. The discovery of topological insulators and progress towards topological superconductors realizing non-abelian statistics has moved topological phases of matter onto the center stage in the interaction of topology and physics beyond the quantum Hall effect. While topological physics has been intensively investigated by physicists for the last few decades, the mathematical theory lags far behind. One challenge is formulating the right definition of topological phases of matter, which is closely related to the notoriously difficult problem of finding a rigorous mathematical formulation of quantum field theory. In this summer school, we will focus on two relatively mature foundational topics, and two new directions in the mathematics of topological phases of matter.