Sabin Cautis, Rice University, Knot invariants via algebraic geometry
Abstract: We explain how to construct knot and tangle invariants (such as Khovanov homology) by studying holomorphic vector bundles on certain compact, complex manifolds. Topologically these complex manifolds are just products of the same projective space P^1. Conjecturially, if one used Grassmannians Gr(k,n) instead of projective spaces this would give a series of new knot invariants analogous to Khovanov homology. (joint with Joel Kamnitzer)