Particle Theory in the LHC Era

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The past decade of theoretical research has given rise to new insights in quantum field theory and string theory. These in turn have led to new paradigms for the microscopic laws of nature beyond the Standard Model, and to advances in our ability to analyze the experimental implications of such theories. Puzzles surrounding electroweak unification and the nature of dark matter itself have been tied by theorists to dramatic new principles, ranging from supersymmetry to extra spacetime dimensions to particle compositeness. The Johns Hopkins theory group, consisting of Jonathan Bagger, David E. Kaplan, and Raman Sundrum, proposes to tackle central problems at the juncture of theory and experiment, while advancing understanding of core theoretical principles and mechanisms. This work will create new algorithms for experimental searches, develop and exploit new calculational tools needed to discriminate new physics from Standard Model processes, propose new theoretical mechanisms, and develop new models that may ultimately help in the grand synthesis of nature's microscopic laws. This project has significant broader impacts. The proposed research is an excellent training ground for graduate students. Moreover, the excitement of this field of science deserves to be disseminated broadly, and the Hopkins theory group plays a significant role in this mission. Bagger is deeply involved in articulating the new ideas that drive the particle physics of the twenty-first century. He was a key member of the Quantum Universe team that prepared materials highlighting the connections between particle physics and cosmology. He also produced a planetarium show about the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with the Maryland Science Center. Sundrum acts as a consultant to a wide range of news media. He is writing a popular book on the physics of, and experimental search for, extra dimensions. Kaplan intends to develop and present a theoretical side to the Hopkins Quark Net program, aimed at connecting high school teachers with physicists engaged in cutting-edge research. He is also filming a documentary concerning the construction and early days of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.