Title: Untangling Reality: Skein Theory, Knots, and Quantum Physics

Description: A big breakthrough in the field of knot theory was the introduction of a new type of knot invariant called the Jones polynomial by Vaughan Jones. Louis Kauffman showed in 1987 that the Jones polynomial can be computed using simple local rules called skein relations. Later in 1989, Edward Witten showed that the Jones polynomial can be understood within the framework of Chern–Simon's theory, revealing a deep link between knot theory and quantum physics. In this talk, we give an overview of all of these ideas.

Time, date, and location: Thursday, April 9, 2026, 3:30pm – 4:30pm, SH 176

Zoom link: https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/94593854748?pwd=7d2wjmcJpReIgEgswMagSOlvWltBDE.1