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A surgery presentation for the n-dimensional bordism 2-category

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Speaker: 
Bruce Bartlett
Affiliation: 
Stellenbosch University
Date: 
Mon, 02/03/2020 - 16:30 - 17:15
Location: 
MPIM Lecture Hall
Parent event: 
MPIM Topology Seminar

In previous work, a classification of 3-dimensional once-extended topological quantum field theories has been obtained. However, this work relied on a presentation for the n-dimensional bordism 2-category, which was claimed but not proved, and filling in the details has proved difficult. The basic idea is to formulate parameterized Morse theory at codimension 2 in terms of surgery data, then arrange this data into a 2-category, and then to simplify this data in dimension 3. I will explain these steps and some recent progress I have made in each of them. Joint work with Chris Douglas, Chris Schommer-Pries and Jamie Vicary.

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