David Penneys
Associate Professor of Mathematics at The Ohio State University
Office: Room 752 Math Tower
Office hours: to be decided
Email: penneys (dot) 2 (at) osu (dot) edu

dsp in la

About me:

I received my Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012 under the supervision of Vaughan Jones. I completed a 2 year postdoc from 2012-2014 at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dror Bar-Natan and George Elliott. From 2014-2016, I was an Assistant Adjunct Professor at UCLA. I study subfactor theory, a subject in operator algebras with connections to a wide variety of mathematics, including tensor and fusion categories, quantum algebra, mathematical physics, and non-commutative geometry.

Here is a copy of my Curriculum Vitae.
Here is a link to my articles on the arXiv.
Here is a link to my Google Scholar profile.


Graduate students and postdocs

Current graduate students and their dissertation work Current postdocs Former PhD students Former postdocs
  • Corey JONES, now tenure track assistant professor at North Carolina State University


Mathematics Teaching


Mathematics Research

Peer reviewed journal articles Peer reviewed conference proceedings
  • Corey Jones and David Penneys. Q-systems and compact W*-algebra objects. Topological phases of matter and quantum computation, 63--88, Contemp. Math., 747, Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 2020. [arXiv:1707.02155, DOI:10.1090/conm/747/15039]
  • Zhengwei Liu, Scott Morrison, and David Penneys. Lifting shadings on symmetrically self-dual subfactor planar algebras. Topological phases of matter and quantum computation, 51--61, Contemp. Math., 747, Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 2020. [arXiv:1709.05023, DOI:10.1090/conm/747/15038]
  • Zhengwei Liu and David Penneys. The generator conjecture for $3^G$ subfactor planar algebras. Proceedings of the 2014 Maui and 2015 Qinhuangdao conferences in honour of Vaughan F. R. Jones' 60th birthday, 344--366, Proc. Centre Math. Appl. Austral. Nat. Univ., 46, Austral. Nat. Univ., Canberra, 2017. [arXiv:1507.04794, available online here]
Additional conference proceedings
  • David Penneys (joint work with Marcel Bischoff, Ian Charlesworth, Samuel Evington, Luca Giorgetti, and André Henriques). Modular distortion for II_1 multifactor bimodules. 2020. To appear Oberwolfach Reports. [PDF]
  • David Penneys (joint work with André Henriques and James Tener). Planar algebras in modular tensor categories. 2015. Oberwolfach Reports. [DOI:10.4171/OWR/2015/16, PDF]
arXiv preprints
  • Scott Morrison, David Penneys, and Julia Plavnik. Completion for braided enriched monoidal categories. 2018. [arXiv:1809.09782]
  • Marcel Bischoff, Ian Charlesworth, Samuel Evington, Luca Giorgetti, and David Penneys. Distortion for multifactor bimodules and representations of multifusion categories. 2020. [arXiv:2010.01067]
  • Zachary Dell, Peter Huston, and David Penneys. Unitary braided-enriched monoidal categories. 2022 [arXiv:2208.14992]
  • Corey Jones, Pieter Naaijkens, David Penneys, and Daniel Wallick. Local topological order and boundary algebras. 2023. [arXiv:2307.12552]
  • André Henriques, David Penneys, and James Tener. Classification of finite depth objects in bicommutant categories via anchored planar algebras. 2023. [arXiv:2307.13822]
  • Mario Tomba, Shuqi Wei, Brett Hungar, Daniel Wallick, Kyle Kawagoe, Chian Yeong Chuah, and David Penneys Boundary algebras of the Kitaev Quantum Double model. 2023. [arXiv:2309.13440]
  • Kyle Kawagoe, Corey Jones, Sean Sanford, David Green, and David Penneys. Levin-Wen is a gauge theory: entanglement from topology. 2024. [arXiv:2401.13838]
  • Giovanni Ferrer, Brett Hungar, Theo Johnson-Freyd, Cameron Krulewski, Lukas Muller, Nivedita, David Penneys, David Reutter, Claudia Scheimbauer, Luuk Stehouwer, and Chetan Vuppulury. Dagger n-categories. 2024. [arXiv:2403.01651]
Dissertation
  • David Penneys. Planar structure for inclusions of finite von Neumann algebras. 2012. [pdf]


Conference and seminar talks

2023
  • UCSD Functional Analysis Seminar 10/17. An operator algebraic axiomatization of local topological order.
  • ICMS workshop on Topological Quantum Computation 10/9-13. Local topological order and boundary algebras. [video]
  • Purdue Operator Algebras Seminar 9/12. An operator algebraic axiomatization of local topological order.
  • Yasu Festa 60 7/24-28. Local topological order and boundary algebras. [video]
  • Purdue University 6/17. GOALS culminating workshop What is topological order?
  • Zoom workshop Dagger higher categories 6/12. Some subtleties about unitary multitensor categories
  • UM Dearborn 5/25. REU speaker. What is topological order?
  • Vanderbilt NCGOA on von Neumann algebras 5/8-11. Local topological order and boundary algebras. [Unable to attend; talk given by Daniel Wallick]
2022 2021 2020 2019
  • Oberwolfach workshop on Subfactors and their applications 10/28-11/1 Modular distortion for II_1 multifactor bimodules
  • University of Virginia 9/10. Distortion for II_1 multifactor bimodules
  • Vanderbilt NCGOA 5/3-9. G-graded extensions of braided enriched fusion categories
  • AMS Joint Meetings 1/16. Special Session on Hopf algebras and tensor categories. The module embedding theorem. [Beamer slides]
2018
  • UCLA 11/15. Functional analysis seminar. The maximal atlas of the Extended Haagerup subfactor
  • GPOTS, Miami University (Ohio) 5/29-6/2. Plenary speaker. The maximal atlas of the extended Haagerup subfactor planar algebra
  • University of Delaware 3/23. Analysis Seminar. Classifying small quantum symmetries
  • Santa Clara University 3/13. Colloquium. Planar algebras and evaluation algorithms
  • UC Berkeley 3/12. Probabilistic Operator Algebras Seminar. Standard invariants for discrete subfactors
  • Texas A&M 1/30. Linear Analysis Seminar. Standard invariants for discrete subfactors
  • Texas A&M 1/30. Algebra Seminar. Exotic fusion categories: EH3 exists!
2017 2016 2015 2014
  • UC San Diego 12/4. The 2D2 subfactor
  • UC Davis Mathematical Physics & Probability seminar 10/29. Applications of subfactors and fusion categories to mathematical physics [Beamer slides]
  • USC Hopf working seminar 10/14. Planar algebras, Hopf algebras, and fusion categories
  • UCLA Workshop on von Neumann algebras and ergodic theory 9/22-26. Classifying small index subfactors, [Beamer slides]
  • Stanford University 8/22. Planar algebras and evaluation algorithms
  • AMS MRC on Mathematics of Quantum Phases of Matter and Quantum Information 6/24-30. Ostrik's classification of rank 3 pivotal fusion categories
  • GPOTS, Kansas State University 5/27-31. Half hour plenary speaker. Classifying small index subfactors [Beamer slides]
  • Vanderbilt NCGOA 5/2-8. Mini course on Introduction to subfactors. [course notes (first draft), written notes used during lecture, notes on other talks]
  • Vanderbilt 4/25. Classifying small index subfactors [notes]
  • Duke University 4/8. Planar algebras and evaluation algorithms
  • NC State University 4/7. Planar algebras and evaluation algorithms
  • University of New South Wales 3/17. 1-supertransitive subfactors with index at most 6.2
  • The Australian National University 3/11. 1-supertransitive subfactors with index at most 6.2 [notes]
  • UC Riverside 2/27 (Colloquium). Classifying small index subfactors [Beamer slides]
  • UC Davis 1/6. Exotic fusion categories
2013
  • UC Berkeley 11/8. Free graph algebras and GJS C*-algebras
  • UC San Diego 11/7. 1-supertransitive subfactors with index at most 6.2
  • Subfactors in Maui 7/15. Chirality and principal graph obstructions
  • Canadian Annual Symposium on Operator Algebras and Their Applications (COSy) 5/27. Subfactors of index 3+\sqrt{5} [Beamer slides]
  • Institut de Mathematiques de Bourgogne - workshop on fusion categories 5/21-3. Fusion categories between C \boxtimes D and C * D (with applications to subfactors at index 3+\sqrt{5}) [Beamer slides]
  • Northwestern University 4/24. Subfactors of index 3+\sqrt{5}
  • Loyola University 4/17. Planar algebras
  • University of Waterloo 4/5. GJS C*-algebras
  • University of Tokyo 3/12. Constructing subfactors with jellyfish
  • The Australian National University 2/5. Planar algebra
2012
  • Western University 12/10. Constructing subfactors with jellyfish
  • Univrtsity of Michigan, Dearborn colloquium 12/7. Planar algebra
  • UC San Diego 11/13. Constructing subfactors with jellyfish
  • UC Santa Barbara 11/13. Constructing subfactors with jellyfish
  • ECOAS 10/7. Constructing subfactors with the jellyfish algorithm [Beamer slides]
  • Subfactors in Maui 7/16. Spokes, jellyfish, trains, and tails
  • UCLA 6/6. Jellyfish, trains, and principal graph stability
  • UC Santa Barbara 1/31. Automated jellyfish
2011
  • Purude ECOAS 10/15. Infinite index subfactors and the GICAR algebras [Beamer slides]
  • Subfactors in Maui 7/18. Infinite index
  • AMS Joint Meetings, New Orleans 1/8. Eliminating weeds and vines in the classification of subfactors to index 5 [Beamer slides]
2010
  • University of Tokyo operator algebras seminar 7/8. Killing weeds with annular multiplicities *10
  • Kyushu University operator algebras seminar 7/26. Killing weeds with annular multiplicities *10
  • Vanderbilt NCGOA 5/11. The embedding theorem for finite depth subfactor planar algebras [Beamer slides]
2009
  • IMSC colloquium 2/26. Categories and pictures
  • GWU topology seminar 1/12. Examples of planar algebras
2008
  • GWU analysis seminar 3/25. Planar algebras and knot polynomials
Here is a pdf file of all abstracts of conference and seminar talks I have given from 2007-present.


Conferences and seminars organized


International and national conferences Microconferences Seminars
  • Quantum algebra seminar at the Fields Institute Fall 2013 - Spring 2014 [talk abstracts]
  • Subfactor seminar at UC Berkeley Fall 2009 - Spring 2012
  • Student subfactor seminar at UC Berkeley Spring 2008 - Fall 2009


Surveys, expository articles, and miscellaneous


last modified: 2023/3/6