Aron Wall (Stanford University) ‘Tensor Networks and the Hamiltonian Constraint”
Juan Maldacena (IAS) “Building traversable wormholes”
Abstract We discuss constructions of traversable wormholes both in the case of SYK and nearly AdS2 geometries.
Grant Remmen (UC Berkeley): Proof of the Weak Gravity Conjecture from Black Hole Entropy
Ying Zhao (Stanford University) “Uncomplexity and Black Hole Geometry”
Naritaka Oshita (University of Tokyo and Research Center for the Early Universe) “Thermal creation of an inflationary universe out of an evaporating black hole”
Abstract: We discuss a two-step mechanism to create a new inflationary domain beyond a wormhole throat which is created by a phase transition around an evaporating black hole. The first step is creation of a false vacuum bubble with a thin-wall boundary by the thermal effects of Hawking radiation around an evaporating black hole. Then this wall induces a quantum … Read More
Alexander Zhiboedov (Harvard University) “Veneziano Amplitude of Vasiliev Theory”
Abstract: We compute the four-point function of scalar operators in CFTs with weakly broken higher spin symmetry at arbitrary ‘t Hooft coupling. We use the known three-point functions in these theories, the Lorentzian OPE inversion formula and crossing to fix the result up to the addition of two functions of the cross ratios. These are given by contact Witten diagrams … Read More
Michael Geracie (UC Davis) “Galilean Geometry”
Abstract: We will discuss Newton-Cartan geometry and its applications within condensed matter physics. Newton-Cartan geometry provides an efficient means to impose Galilean spacetime symmetries within field theory and couple systems to curved spacetime geometries, which has historically been much trickier than the relativistic case. We will review these issues and discuss applications to experimentally realizable systems such as spinor BECs … Read More
Dan Harlow (MIT) “Symmetries in quantum field theory and quantum gravity”
Abstract: I will explain work with Hirosi Ooguri using the AdS/CFT correspondence to establish the following old conjectures about quantum gravity: 1) there are no global symmetries, 2) gauge symmetries are allowed but the gauge group must be compact, 3) there must be dynamical objects transforming in all irreducible representations of the gauge group. I will spend considerable time discussing … Read More
Jaume Gomis (Perimeter Institute) “Phases and Dualities of 2+1d Gauge Theories”
Abstract: This talk addresses a simple question: what is the infrared dynamics of QCD-like theories in 2+1 dimensions? I will present the proposed answers to this question for a variety of theories, and describe how to answer them, finding along the way dualities between QCD-like theories.