(+61 8) 6488 2738
Quantum Field Theory and Quantum Gravity
The leading Australian scientific team pursuing research into the theoretical aspects of physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, specializing in:
• supersymmetric quantum field theories;
• supergravity;
• superstring theory;
• higher spin gauge theory.
Research Group Description
Unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions within a consistent quantum theory is one of the central problems of high-energy physics. The complete structure of such a theory is not yet known despite numerous efforts undertaken over several decades to construct it. The most interesting models for quantum gravity include string theory and its low-energy approximations known as supersymmetric theories of gravity (supergravity).
Research Activities
The group's research activities include:
• Supergravity-matter systems in diverse dimensions.
• Superconformal field theories and the AdS/CFT correspondence.
• String theory and its applications to particle physics.
• Models for spontaneously broken supersymmetry.
• Supersymmetric higher spin gauge theories.
• Effective actions in gauge theories and quantum gravity.
Past Group Members
• Dr Daniel Butter (postdoc 2010—2012)
• Dr Joseph Novak (postdoc 2013—2015)
• Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli (postdoc 2006—2008, ARC DECRA Fellow 2012—2015)
• Dr Igor Samsonov (postdoc 2014—2016)
• Dr Mirian Tsulaia (postdoc 2016—2018)
• Dr Jessica Hutomo (postdoc 2020—2021)
• Dr Michael Ponds (postdoc 2021—2023)
Achievements
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Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2010—2012, Uppsala University, Sweden)
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Dr Daniel Butter: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2014—2016, University of Amsterdam)
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Dr Joseph Novak: Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2017-2019, Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam)
ARC Funded Projects in the Last 15 Years
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DP230101629, Conformal Field Theories with Higher Spin Symmetry and Duality Invariance, (2023—2025, initial funding $455,000) [S. M. Kuzenko, E. I. Buchbinder (UWA), D. Sorokin (National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Padua), S. Theisen (Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam) and A. A. Tseytlin (Imperial College)].
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DP200101944, Advances in Conformal Field Theory with Extended Symmetry, (2020—2022, initial funding $463,000) [S. M. Kuzenko (UWA), E. I. Buchbinder (UWA), S. Theisen (Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam) and A. A. Tseytlin (Imperial College)].
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DP160103633, Advances in Higher Spin Gauge Theory, (2016—2018, initial funding: $377,600) [S. M. Kuzenko (UWA), D. Sorokin (National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Padua) and M. A. Vasiliev (PN Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow)].
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DP140103925, Novel Conformal Techniques in Quantum Field Theory, Gravity and Supergravity, (2014—2016, initial funding: $346,000) [S.M. Kuzenko (UWA), E. I. Buchbinder (UWA), G. Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli (UWA), S. Theisen (Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam) and A. A. Tseytlin (Imperial College, London)].
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FT120100466 Relating string theory and particle physics: model building and strong coupling phenomena (2012-2016, initial funding $586,028) [E. I. Buchbinder (UWA)]
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DE120101498, Superspace and Dualities in Supersymmetric Field Theories, Supergravity and String Theory (2012–2014, Initial funding: $375,000) [G. Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli (UWA)]
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DP1096372, Quantum and Geometric Aspects of Gauge Theories, Supergravity and String Theory, (2010—2014, initial funding $775,000) [S. K. Kuzenko (UWA), U. G. Lindstrom (Uppsala University) and A. A. Tseytlin (Imperial College, London)].
ARC Fellowships
· Prof Sergei Kuzenko: Australian Professorial Fellow (2010—2014)
· A/Prof Evgeny Buchbinder: Future Fellow (2012—2016)
· Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: DECRA Fellow (2012—2015), Future Fellow (2019—2023)
Current HDR students
• Nowar Koning
• Joshua Pinelli
• Jake Stirling
Past Group Members: Achievements
• Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2010—2012, Uppsala University, Sweden)
• Dr Daniel Butter: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2014—2016, University of Amsterdam)
• Dr Joseph Novak: Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2017-2019, Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam)
• Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: Future Fellow (2019—2023).
• Dr Jessica Hutomo: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2024—2026, University of Padua)
Past Group Members: Achievements
• Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2010—2012, Uppsala University, Sweden)
• Dr Daniel Butter: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2014—2016, University of Amsterdam)
• Dr Joseph Novak: Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2017-2019, Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam)
• Dr Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli: Future Fellow (2019—2023).
• Dr Jessica Hutomo: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2024—2026, University of Padua)
Outstanding PhD Theses
Several former PhD students from our research group have received Honourable Mentions, appearing on the Board of the Graduate Research School Dean's List
1. Dr Joseph Novak (2013)
2. Dr Simon Tyler (2013)
3. Dr Jessica Hutomo (2020)
4. Dr Michael Egan Ponds (2022)
5. Dr Daniel Hutchings (2023)
Contact
For new and exciting opportunities you can contact:
(+61) 8 6488 2757