Interactions of Particles, Fields and Strings

该奖项资助哈佛大学教授Howard Georgi和Cumrun Vafa的研究活动。这项研究解决了短距离的自然基本定律，从目前在大型强子对撞机（LHC）实验中探测的距离尺度，到更短的距离，在更短的距离上，相互作用统一，（也许）时空本身的结构形成。因此，这项研究将加深我们对弦理论迷人的数学结构的正式理解，弦理论是自然基本理论的候选；它将继续在大型强子对撞机上寻找弦理论探测器；它将开发新的工具来分析大型强子对撞机的观测结果，以确保我们能够最有效地利用这个高能粒子对撞机，这是历史上最重要的科学项目之一。由于该奖项资助的研究解决了科学中一些最基本的问题，它也将产生许多更广泛的影响。对这些问题的研究将继续激励有才华的年轻人追求STEM领域所需的严格技术教育。更具体地说，这项研究将在几个方面影响哈佛的研究生和本科生。研究生将直接参与许多项目。此外，还有“内部”研讨会，博士后和研究生将能够在非正式和支持的氛围中展示他们正在进行的工作，年轻的学生将能够了解小组的研究。还将对年轻教师进行实际指导。此外，Georgi和Vafa教授教授重要的本科和研究生课程。同样，Georgi教授也是物理系本科研究主任，致力于改善本科教育和增加STEM劳动力的多样性。

This award funds the research activities of Professors Howard Georgi and Cumrun Vafa at Harvard University. This research addresses the fundamental laws of nature at short distances, from the distance scales currently being probed by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) down to the much shorter distances at which the interactions unify and (perhaps) the structure of spacetime itself is formed. Thus, this research will deepen our formal understanding of the fascinating mathematical structure of string theory, which is a candidate for a fundamental theory of nature; it will continue the search for probes of string theory at the LHC; and it will develop new tools for the analysis of LHC observations to ensure that we can make the most effective use of this high-energy particle collider, one of the most important scientific projects in history. Because the research funded by this award addresses some of the most fundamental questions in science, it will also have a number of broader impacts. Research on these questions will continue to inspire talented young people to pursue the kind of rigorous technical education that they need for STEM fields. More specifically, this research will affect Harvard graduate students and undergraduates in several ways. Graduate students will participate in many of the projects directly. In addition, there are "in-house" seminars in which postdocs and graduate students will be able to present their work in progress in an informal and supportive atmosphere, and younger students will be able to learn about the research of the group. There will also practical mentoring of younger faculty. Moreover, Professors Georgi and Vafa teach important undergraduate and graduate courses. Likewise, Professor Georgi is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Physics and involved in efforts to improve undergraduate education and increase diversity in the STEM workforce.