Gauge fields, strings and phenomenology II

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Modern particle theory stands at a crossroads. Recent experimental data has led to a rather precise confirmation of the basic theoretical structure for particle physics - namely the `Standard Model' (SM). However, the tremendous recent advances in cosmology show that, despite its success, there is much that the SM cannot explain on cosmological scales, e.g. dark matter. This contrast, combined with several theoretical inadequacies, leads to an ensuing sense that much more is to come and we look forward to the unveiling of part of this story when the LHC collider begins full operations in 2009. Such a conflicted picture directs us to look both inward, to delve into the primary structures of the SM to better understand its success, and outward, to push the boundaries in energy scale (and precision) seeking the frontier at which new physics will become visible. This dual viewpoint drives the primary goals of my research.