Physics & Engineering Physics Colloquium

Nick Geiser, FCRH ’17, will present, “What good is string theory? The Math & Physics of Strings.”

String theory is the most promising candidate for the unification of quantum mechanics and gravity in a mathematically consistent framework. Moreover, string theory is a well-established conceptual and computational tool that has been applied to a wide range of topics, including particle physics, astrophysics, and pure mathematics. In this talk, Geiser will present a lightning review of the fundamental theories of quantum mechanics (the standard model of particle physics) and gravity (general relativity) before introducing string theory as a consistent theory of quantum gravity. Geiser will then explore some basic stringy calculations, encountering several famous mathematical objects, such as the gamma function and the Riemann zeta function, along the way. Finally, Geiser will discuss the stringy origins of the “double-copy” between gauge theory and gravity and its application to colliding black holes.

This talk assumes familiarity with calculus (integrals).