In this project funded by the Americas Program of the Office of International Science and Engineering, Alejandro Perez from the Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Pennsylvania State University will work with Michael Reisenberger and other members of the Institute of Physics at the University of the Republic in Montevideo, Uruguay to develop the spin-foam approach to non-perturbative quantum gravity. In this effort the researchers will investigate models of quantum geometry from a space-time perspective. The specific projects concentrate on the mathematical issues involving the removal of the regulator (space-time discretization) generically used to define the spin foam path integral for gravity as well as on developing consistency tests that provide means for eliminating the intrinsic ambiguities that exist in the current models.
This project pursues a promising approach to the quantization of general relativity, which is one of the most important unsolved problems in physics. Not only will the interactions with the Uruguayan researchers stimulate international scientific exchange, but they will also promote the training of students and young researchers at both institutions. This project has the potential of setting up a long-term partnership between the two Universities from which both will benefit in terms of research and training.
