Quantum topology from dynamics

Dynamics studies the long-term behavior of systems that evolve over time, such as the famous Lorenz system.
Quantum topology, by contrast, studies knots and low-dimensional manifolds through invariants that are usually constructed using representation-theoretic tools. In this talk, I will explain how quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds can be recovered from the dynamics of certain three-dimensional flows. Time permitting, I will also explain how this new bridge arises from ideas in topological string theory.