A gentle introduction to solid state physics: crystals and conduction

This fall the Topology Seminar aims to learn something about the recent application to condensed matter physics of ideas from algebraic topology, such as K-theory (in its myriad flavors) and invertible fully extended TFTs. This first talk will serve two purposes. First, I will introduce the central subject of the seminar -- topological insulators and its connections with algebraic topology -- and I will describe the format of this learning seminar. Second, I will introduce the basic concepts from condensed matter physics that are relevant to this topic. In other words, I'll set things up so that Alessandro can tell you next week how we'll see the glimmerings of twisted equivariant K-theory in this physical setting ...