Theoretical High Energy Physics

UC Davis Institute for High Energy Physics

The faculty and students of the HEP theory group engage in a wide variety of research aimed at understanding the most fundamental building blocks of nature. Our research interests include supersymmetry, supergravity, quantum gravity, general relativity, extra space-time dimensions, particle dark matter, high-energy scattering theory, lattice QCD, and phenomenological implications of string theory. Specific interests of each faculty member can be found on the group members page.

We have just completed a major expansion of the theory effort within the framework of the High Energy Frontier Theory Initiative (HEFTI). Following the recommendations of an external committee composed of Howard Haber, Joe Lykken (Chair) and Pierre Ramond, this expansion focused on the theory and phenomenology of strings, branes and extra dimensions and led to the hiring of three new faculty members: John Terning, Hsin-Chia Cheng and Markus Luty (in chronological order). Details of the program and the committee's recommendations can be found here . The other members of the high energy group are: Steve Carlip, John Gunion, Nemanja Kaloper and Joe Kiskis.

Particle physics and gravity are subjects filled with unanswered questions, making it an interesting and challenging field of research. A good introduction to many of the basic questions that we study is found at The Particle Adventure .

Part of the mission of the HEFTI initiative is to bring the excitement of the field to the general public. We sponsor public lectures about three times per year where we bring in the best-known and most dynamic lecturers in the field. A list of past lectures and currently planned future lectures can be found at HEFTI Lectures.

Much of our work involves close collaboration with theorists and experimentalists at leading particle physics institutions throughout the world, including LBL in Berkeley, California, SLAC at Stanford University, CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, and Fermilab near Chicago, Illinois.