The long term objective of this project is to improve the understanding of gauge theories by using string theory and to apply such knowledge to QCD, the theory of strong interactions. Steps to the main goal to be investigated are: understanding the emergence of strings from a field theory as a tool for describing gauge invariant operators, mappping new solutions of the string equations of motion to the field theory using their integrable structure, consideration of generalizations of previous cusp anomaly calculations to better understand gluon dynamics and Wilson loops in N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and finally the study of field theory planar diagrams in light-cone gauge. Progress in any of these areas is expected to lead to a better understanding of the string /gauge theory duality leading to the final goal of understanding the strong interaction at low energy. The project builds on previous experience of the PI who has made several contributions to the subject.
Broader Impact: These ideas are part of an introductory lecture on string theory and particle physics that the PI and his students prepared in order to help motivate Indiana's high school students to pursue a career in science. It has been delivered in local high schools with good acceptance. In the future it will be improved and extended to be delivered in other high schools as well as the QuarkNet Center at Purdue, which is an NSF and DOE sponsored program for high-school teachers. Evaluation of the interest of such activities will be done by the High School teachers themselves and collected by the PI.
