This award supports continuation of the PI's research program in theoretical general relativity and has three main areas of focus: (1) Effects of general relativity on interpretation of observations of gravitational lenses. Such effects might limit the validity of approximations now in use and might be detectable in the intermediate to far future. (2) Mathematical foundations of formulations of general relativity used in numerical simulations including well-posedness, constraint-preserving boundary conditions and issues of gauge. Results would be relevant to current efforst in numerical relativity. (3) Understanding of a characteristic formulation of general relativity. The research will take place in an undergraduate-only department in a small liberal arts university. Motivated and suitably prepared undergraduate students will be recruited for research experiences during summer or academic terms. The research setting boasts a large percentage of participation of women in physics by typical standards, both in the undergraduate enrollment and in the faculty. By maintaining the intellectual vibrancy of a female college instructor in a junior/senior class with a large female component, the project has a direct impact on the training of women in the sciences.
