Rutgers University Department of Physics and
Astronomy
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Theoretical particle physics has advanced its frontiers enormously in recent
years. The success of the Weinberg-Salam model of electroweak interactions,
culminating in the discovery of the W and Zo, has led to
efforts to find a unified theory including quantum chromodynamics and perhaps
general relativity as well. A theory of all interactions and particles usually
has far-reaching implications, for instance predicting proton decay, and
affecting the development of the universe in the first few moments after the
big bang. Thus particle physics now relates to problems in cosmology, such as
galaxy formation and the observed predominance of matter over antimatter. The
most ambitious of these unified theories - superstrings - is being intensively
studied at
Professor Tom Banks
Since 2000 I have been working on ways to generalize string theory to space-times which are dominated in the asymptotic future by a positive cosmological constant. This research combines early universe cosmology and an elucidation of the Big Bang, with conjectures about the relationship between the breaking of supersymmetry and the value of the cosmological constant. The latter work leads to rather specific models for the physics that will be probed at the Large Hadron Collider. Much of my work since 2006 has been devoted to these phenomenological models. I am also interested in a variety of topics in quantum field theory and string theory, most recently in the so called Regge limit in field theory, which is a limit in which two parts of the system are given a large relative Lorentz boost.
Professor Diuliu-Emanuel Diaconescu
Professor Daniel Friedan
I am interested in string theory as a fundamental description of elementary particles and forces and in quantum field theories and string theories as effective descriptions of elementary particles and critical phenomena. Recently, I have been trying to formulate non-perturbative string theory so as to make possible low-energy predictions and comparison with experiment.
Professor Sergei Lukyanov
My research activities are in the areas of quantum field theory, mathematical physics and statistical mechanics. Currently I am mostly interested in exactly soluble low dimensional models.
Professor Gregory Moore
I work on mathematical physics related to quantum field theory and string theory. Specific topics include:
Professor David Shih
Professor Scott Thomas
My area of research is in theoretical physics. At present my main focus is in two areas. The first is the physics of electroweak symmetry breaking which should be well probed at the Large Hadron Collider. The second is the holographic properties of theories of quantum gravity. I am also investigating the possibility of extracting testable cosmological and laboratory predictions from fundamental theories which possess a Landscape of solutions such as string theory.
Professor Herbert Neuberger
My area of specialization is Field Theory and I am mostly interested in its non-perturbative aspects.
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Revised September, 2019