Gravity and quantum field theory

We focus on the mathematical structures that underpin fundamental physical theories including quantum field theories such as Chern—Simons and Yang—Mills theories as well as gravitational theories such as supergravity and string theory.

Our research

Quantum field theory is a framework that combines the laws of quantum mechanics and special relativity in a self-consistent manner and underpins most of theoretical physics today.

General relativity is a highly successful theory describing gravity at large scales such as the solar system. So far, however, it has remained incompatible with the laws of quantum mechanics.

String theory has emerged as the leading candidate for a theory describing all the fundamental forces of nature, including gravity, in a single unified self-consistent quantum mechanical framework. It assumes that all particles are different harmonics of small vibrating strings, much in the way the different harmonics of a guitar string correspond to different musical notes. Surprisingly, even though it started as a theory of just strings, it also accommodates consistently in a non-perturbative manner higher-dimensional extended objects called branes.

There is a rich and fruitful interplay between quantum field theory and string theory, and mathematics. New and sophisticated mathematical techniques have rendered many problems in string theory and quantum field theory tractable and, in certain cases, even exactly soluble.

Conversely, string theory has also led to striking advances and conjectures in mathematics. It is this synthesis between theoretical physics and mathematics that forms the foundation of our research.

Black holes and supergravity

We analyse the relationship between geometry and black hole physics, and we also focus on classifying anti-de Sitter supergravity solutions.

Fluid dynamics

We use and develop tools from differential geometry to gain insights into the structure of the equations governing fluid flows with an aim to shed light on turbulence.

Gauge/string dualities

Our research involves trying to understand the very nature of dualities that relate string theories and gauge theories, notably the AdS/CFT duality.

Higher structures

We focus on understanding quantum field theory in terms of homotopy algebras. We also analyse and develop higher structures to gain insight into higher gauge theory.

Integrability

We analyse the structures of quantum integrable theories, notably theories that partake in the AdS/CFT duality.

Twistor geometry

We use the ideas of twistor geometry to study integrable systems and to analyse scattering amplitudes.

Our publications

arXiv

INSPIRE

Selected PhD theses

R Delmasso, Killing spinors, extensions and metric diagonalization in pseudo-Riemannian geometry, supervisors: D Conti and J Grant
D Farotti, Supergravity, supersymmetry, and black holes, supervisor: J Gutowski
D Bielli, Non-Abelian T-duality in superspace, supervisors: Silvia Penati and M Wolf
L Wyss, Strings and spins in deformed AdS/CFT, supervisor: A Torrielli
L Raspolini, Higher gauge theory, BV formalism, and self-dual theories from twistor space, supervisor: M Wolf
T Macrelli, Homotopy algebras, gauge theory, and gravity, supervisor M Wolf
R Sisca, Heterotic vacua and their universal geometry, supervisor: J McOrist
A Fontanella, Black horizons and integrability in string theory, supervisor: J Gutowski
A Pittelli, Dualities and integrability in low dimensional AdS/CFT, supervisors: A Torrielli and M Wolf
F Nieri, Integrable structures in supersymmetric gauge theories, supervisor: S Pasquetti

Upcoming and past events

We run regular seminars throughout term discussing ongoing research we are doing in the group. Take a look at some of the past events we have held to get a taste of our offering.

Join us

Interested in our research? Then join us. If you have a query then please get in touch with any member of academic staff of our group.