Finite path integral is a finite version of Feynman’s path integral, which is a mathematical methodology to construct TQFT’s (topological quantum field theories) from finite gauge theory. It was introudced by Dijkgraaf and Witten in 1990. We study finite path integral model by replacing finite gauge theory with homological algebra based on bicommutative Hopf algebras. It turns out that Mayer-Vietoris functors such as homology theories extend to TQFT which preserves compositions up to a scalar. This talk concerns the second cohomology class of cobordism (more generally, cospan) categories induced by such scalars. In particular, we will explain that the obstruction class is described purely by homological algebra, not via finite path integral.

The mapping class group Map(S) of a surface S is the group of isotopy classes of diffeomorphisms of S. When S is a finite-type surface, the classical mapping class group Map(S) has been well understood. On the other hand, there are recent developments on mapping class groups of infinite-type surfaces. In this talk, we discuss mapping class groups of finite-type and infinite-type surfaces and elements of these groups. Also, we define surface Houghton groups, which are subgroups of mapping class groups of certain infinite-type surfaces. Then we discuss finiteness properties of surface Houghton groups, which is a joint work with Aramayona, Bux, and Leininger.