The goal of the theory group involved in this proposal is to understand how the world works at the smallest distances. The group seeks to understand the nature of the space we live in, of the matter and energy that move through it, of the vacuum that fills it, of its history since the beginning of the universe and its fate in the far future, and of the dimensions that might lurk outside it. Soon the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN in Geneva will begin operating and looking for various new particles predicted by generalization of the standard model of particle physics. The group seeks to deepen our understanding of the new physics we may begin to see at the LHC. The questions that will be addressed in the group's research include the following: . Can we see "unparticles" at the LHC? Research by this group has suggested that the LHC could produce an exotic state of matter that cannot be described in terms of particles with definite mass hence "unparticles." This is provides a new example of a very unconventional phenomenon that might appear at the LHC. . Can we use topology to understand Black Holes? The group has recently shown that purely topological aspects of string theory can capture highly non-trivial quantum gravitational corrections to the black hole entropy. The implications of this to better understanding entropy and holography will be pursued in the future research program. . Can we find the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in String theory? The group will pursue new directions that may lead to a very natural embedding of the MSSM in string theory. The broader implications of this research is the hope of better understanding the fundamental nature of space and time at the shortest and largest distances. The group is active in broadening participation of underrepresented groups which include both women and African Americans in cutting-edge research
Like particle physicists everywhere in the world, we are excited by the events at the LHC. The Higgs discovery is one of the most majestic accomplishments in the history of science. To know for 30 years what we needed to do, to design a machine that could do it, to convince most of the countries of the world to contribute to the project, and then through the labor of tens of thousands of scientists and engineers over 20 years to actually bring it to reality is nothing short of amazing. This is a remarkable example of the importance of the community of science. But the science at the LHC is just starting. The Higgs is an object unlike anything else we have seen in the hundred-plus year history of particle physics, and we have good reasons to doubt that it exists on its own without internal structure. If our experimental colleagues look hard enough and cleverly enough we expect them to see either additional particles or evidence that the Higgs particle is built out of more fundamental things, or both! The results of this grant like the past work of our group and our ongoing investigations are focused on contributing to this process by refining our understanding of what the LHC might see and by building new tools to understand the data. None of us who study the remarkable tiny hidden world of elementary particles can predict when or how our results will have direct applications to the world at everyday distances. But we are in the midst of a period of discovery unlike anything we have ever seen, and what we can be sure of is that our understanding of the world will be revolutionized in the next decade.
