PhD Opportunities

Tim Adamo

My research develops new formulations of classical and quantum field theories which simplify the calculation of physical observables (like scattering amplitudes or correlation functions). Tools from string theory and twistor theory play a major role in my work, shifting the focus from spacetime (the stage for most traditional approaches to field theory) to settings where powerful geometric techniques can be applied to the study of physics. Applicants should have a strong background in quantum field theory, string theory or general relativity.

Sayantani Bhattacharyya

I work in the formal aspects of relativistic fluid dynamics and also on black hole physics, particularly from the perspective of gravitational entropies.

Tudor Dimofte

My current work centers around supersymmetric quantum field theories, and in particular gauge theories. I use modern techniques from topology and algebraic geometry to characterize the interactions of local and extended operators/defects; and, conversely, apply physical dualities to produce new mathematical results in geometry and topology. Some of colleagues and I hold regular group meetings related to these ideas.

José Figueroa O'Farrill 

I work on the application of representation theory and differential geometry to problems inspired by Physics. I am particularly interested in different manifestations of supersymmetry and I am partial to homological methods. I am currently involved in two research programmes from which any PhD project I would be willing to supervise would derive: 1) Spencer cohomology and supersymmetry - This is a homological approach to the classification of supersymmetric supergravity backgrounds and to the construction of rigidly supersymmetric field theories in curved space. 2) Spacetime G-structures - I have become interested in the question of which are the possible geometrical structures for space and time. Going beyond General Relativity and its edifice built upon lorentzian geometry, I have become interested in "non-lorentzian geometries", which can be defined in terms of G-structures. Much of my recent work is concerned with the representation theory of the non-lorentzian symmetry groups. The former topic is in a sort of hiatus and I am currently supervising two PhD students in the latter topic.

Jelle Hartong 

Differential geometry plays a crucial role in theoretical physics in particular in areas such as gravity, string theory, holography and formal aspects of quantum field theory. From a physical point of view the geometries involved typically obey Einstein's equivalence principle: locally a manifold is flat in the sense of Minkowski space-time. There are however many situations in which one encounters a different type of geometry where Einstein's equivalence principle is replaced by another kinematical principle. We call such geometries non-Lorentzian geometries. They appear for example as boundary geometries of various solutions of general relativity such as asymptotically flat spacetimes, and in various approximations of GR such as the post-Newtonian expansion, but also in non-relativistic limits of string theory such as the AdS/CFT correspondence, as well as in effective field theories that appear in condensed matter physics and fluid dynamics. The focus of the research will be field theory and gravity in asymptotically flat spacetimes with an eye towards flat space holography.

James Lucietti

I work on general relativity and related problems in geometry, including gravitational theories relevant in string theory and holography. Much of my research focuses on black hole solutions, with an emphasis on their construction and classification. I have a particular interest in higher-dimensional black holes, supersymmetric black holes, extremal black holes and near-horizon geometries.

Bernd Schroers

My research interests include topological solitons (particularly magnetic monopoles, vortices and skyrmions), quantum groups and quantum gravity in (2+1) dimensions.

Joan Simon

I work on the interface between quantum information & computation, and General Relativity, using holographic ideas to bridge them together.