Particle and Quantum Field Theory Investigations

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Research in theoretical physics will focus on questions in elementary particle physics and astrophysics. The physical, astrophysical, and cosmological consequences of theories in which space has more than threedimensions will be explored. Ramifications of "duality relations" demonstrating that seemingly different string theories are actually different forms of the same theory will be studied. Small effects that will test our present understanding of the forces between the elementary particles and possibly signal the presence of new physics beyond our present understanding will be theoretically analyzed. The possibility that space has more than three dimensions is extremely interesting, and the exploration of its consequences is very important. String theory is the leading candidate for a theory that unifies our understanding of all the basic forces of nature, so further progress in this theory is important as well. Finally, small effects have been a fruitful testing ground for our understanding of physics in the recent past, so new analyses of such effects is very timely.