Report Title：Platonic Solids and the McKay Correspondence
Reporter：Naihuan Jing
Affiliation: North Carolina State University
Report Time: August 30, 2026, 16:00–17:00
Report Location: Fifth Seminar Room, Wu Zhuoqun Building
Abstract:
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato used regular solids to describe the universe. We will begin with the classification of Platonic solids and then use their symmetry groups to explain the connection with affine Lie algebras known as the McKay correspondence. We will construct the most fundamental infinite-dimensional Lie algebras through basic operations in the module categories of loop group representations. This categorification approach also applies to the construction of quantum affine algebras and quantum loop algebras.
Bio:
Naihuan Jing earned his Ph.D. from Yale University and is a tenured professor at North Carolina State University. His research focuses on infinite-dimensional Lie algebras, quantum groups, representation theory, algebraic combinatorics, and quantum computing. His contributions to the theory of symmetric functions have led to what are internationally known as “Jing operators.” He has published nearly 100 papers in leading international mathematics journals and edited five volumes.
