Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Albert-Einstein-Institut, Potsdam

• SYNOPSIS
  Mirror symmetry, an isomorphism of two-dimensional superconformal theories with (2,2) supersymmetry, is a proven ground for fruitful interactions between mathematicians and physicists.  The purpose of this workshop is to develop tools to investigate mirror symmetry and other non-perturbative dualities that appear in the context of superconformal theories with (0,2) supersymmetry.  A substantial body of evidence suggests that many notions from (2,2) mirror symmetry do extend to the (0,2) setting.  A detailed understanding of these ideas is crucial to unravelling the non-perturbative structure of four-dimensional heterotic string compactifications, and it is likely to lead to new and unsuspected geometric structures.  A longer exposition of the aims of the workshop may be found here.
  
  To investigate these matters, the workshop will bring together a group of experts on toric geometry, (2,2) mirror symmetry, special geometry, heterotic compactifications, and (0,2) sigma models.  The five day workshop will consist of seminars that will aim at describing the current state of the art and the important unresolved questions.  There will also be time for informal discussions.
  
  
• A SKETCH OF THE PROGRAM TOPICS
  
  • A Review of (2,2) Quantum Cohomology and Mirror Symmetry
    
  • Topological Heterotic Rings
  • Quantum Sheaf Cohomology I :  NLSM perspective and toric varieties
  • Quantum Sheaf Cohomology II: GLSM perspective and hypersurfaces
  • Toric Geometry of (0,2) Deformations
  • N=1 Special Geometry and Lessons from Branes
  • (0,4) Supersymmetry, K3 x T2, and Duality
    
  • Gepner Models and Generalizations
    
  • Numerical Methods
  • Heterotic Flux Backgrounds
  • Yukawa Couplings
  • Bundle Stability
  • An SYZ Perspective on the Heterotic String
    
  
  
• CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS
  
  

  Ido Adam (AEI)	Yang-Hui He (Oxford)
  Klaus Altmann (FU Berlin)	Manfred Herbst (U Augsburg, CERN)
  Lara Anderson (IAS, Princeton/U Penn)	Albrecht Klemm (U Bonn)
  Anirban Basu (DAMTP)	Maximilian Kreuzer (TU Wien)
  Victor Batyrev (U Tuebingen)	Jock McOrist (U Chicago/DAMTP)
  Volker Braun (IAS, Dublin)	Ilarion Melnikov (AEI)
  Patrick Clarke (U Penn)	Emanuel Scheidegger (U Augsburg)
  Anda Degeratu (AEI)	Savdeep Sethi (U Chicago)
  Jacques Distler (UT Austin)	Eric Sharpe (Virginia Tech)
  Ron Donagi (U Penn)	Stefan Theisen (AEI)
  Anamaria Font (Caracas, U. Central)	Katrin Wendland (U Augsburg)
  James Gray (Oxford)	Bernhard Wurm (AEI)
  Josh Guffin (U Penn)

  
  
• PROGRAM
  
  • All of the talks will be held in Room 0.01 of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute).
    
  • The meeting will start with a brief welcome at 9:45 am on Monday morning.
  • There will be a small reception on Monday at 6:30 pm - 8pm at the Merkure Hotel.  Weather permitting, we will be on the terrace; otherwise an indoor location will be provided.
    
  • On Wednesday at noon we will have a Planning/Brainstorming Session, during which participants will be encouraged to suggest additional topics not covered by the regular talks or further discussion of material already presented.  We have left several slots free in the second half of the week for these seminars and/or discussions.
    
    
    

  time	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
  10:00-11:00	Sharpe	He	Herbst	Sethi	Anderson
  11:00-11:30	DISCUSSION
  11:30-12:00	COFFEE BREAK
  12:00-13:00	Melnikov	Kreuzer	Planning Session	Distler	Free Slot 3: Sharpe & Co.
  13:00-13:30	DISCUSSION
  13:30-15:00	LUNCH
  15:00-16:00	Guffin	Gray	Wendland	Free Slot 1: Klemm	Free Slot 4: Sharpe
  16:00-16:30	COFFEE BREAK
  16:30-17:30	McOrist	Melnikov	Braun	Free Slot 2: Distler	Closing

  
  
• LIST OF TALKS
  

  Eric Sharpe	An Overview of Progress Towards (0,2) Mirror Symmetry
  Ilarion Melnikov	Mon-(2,2) Review ; Tue-(0,2) Deformations
  Josh Guffin	(0,2) Quantum Rings for Toric Varieties
  Jock McOrist	Quantum Corrections in Half-Twisted (0,2) GLSMs
  Yang-Hui He	Heterotic Compactification, Monad Bundles, and Yukawa Couplings: An Algorithmic Approach
  Maximilian Kreuzer	(0,2) Gepner Models and Related Geometries
  James Gray	Spectra and Yukawa Couplings in Heterotic Compactifications
  Manfred Herbst	Some Aspects of Orientifolds and D-branes in (2,2) GLSMs
  Katrin Wendland	(0,4) Lessons for (0,2)
  Volker Braun	Computer-aided Heterotic Strings
  Savdeep Sethi	Heterotic Compactifications with Flux
  Jacques Distler	Orientifolds and Twisted KR Theory
  Lara Anderson	Vector bundle Stability and Supersymmetry in Heterotic Models

  
  THE ADDITIONAL SLOTS:
  

  FS1	Klemm	N=1 Special Geometry
  FS2	Distler	A Review of Distler-Kachru Models
  FS3	Sharpe & Friends	More on (0,2) Chiral Rings/ Generalized Gromov-Witten Ideas
  FS4	Sharpe	T-Equivariant Bundles on Toric Varieties

  
  
  
• ACCOMMODATION
  We will be able to cover local expenses and accommodation costs for invited participants.  A block of rooms has been reserved in the Mercure Hotel in the center of Potsdam.  An invited participant may reserve a room by contacting Mrs. Christine Gottschalkson at the email address below.  We will not be able to cover travel expenses.
  
  
• GETTING HERE
  
  • To get to the hotel you will need to arrive at the Potsdam Hauptbahnhof -the main train station in Potsdam.  A short walk will take you to the hotel.   The Berlin/Potsdam public transportation system is quite good, and you may find it convenient to use the BVG travel planning site to plan your journey from train-station or airport to Potsdam.
    
    
  • To travel to the institute, you can either take a train from Potsdam Hauptbahnhof to Golm (Potsdam) Bahnhof, or you can take Bus 605 or 606 from a stop near the hotel to the stop Wissenschaftspark Golm. For a PDF  of  a map along with some bus/train information, you may take a look here.
    
    
  • Once you have arrived to Golm by bus or train, a short (less than ten minutes) walk will take you to the institute.  A map is given here.  You will need to enter the institute through the Central Building of the Max Planck campus.  Once there, look for signs "(0,2) Mirror Symmetry" to guide you to the AEI.
    
    
    
  • It is probably simplest to purchase a weekly pass to cover the commute between the institute and central Potsdam.  This may be obtained from the ticket machines in the train stations, and costs EU 27,00.  Make sure you choose it for the "BC" zone.  If you would like to also be able to travel to Berlin (which is quite a nice idea), then you should purchase the pass for the "ABC" zones for EU 32,30. [Note that you will need at least a one-time ABC ticket if you are arriving into Potsdam from Berlin by train.]
    
    
• CONTACT
  For further information about the workshop please contact Ilarion Melnikov.
  
  
• EMAIL ADDRESSES
  The email addresses of Ilarion Melnikov and Christine Gottschalkson have a remarkably simple form:  FirstName.LastName at aei.mpg.de
  
  
• SUPPORT
  This workshop is made possible with support from the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft as well as from the SFB 647-Raum, Zeit, Materie.