Research in the Gauge/Gravity Duality

该奖项资助了普林斯顿大学Simone Giombi教授的研究活动。弦理论的关键发展之一是发现了量子引力理论与规范理论之间令人惊讶的对偶性。Giombi教授的研究计划旨在对规范/引力对偶性的各个方面进行广泛而深入的研究。这项工作将加深我们对规范理论和引力理论之间关系的物理基础的基本理解，并利用规范/引力对偶性，以开发一个强大的工具箱来回答有关强耦合规范理论或量子引力性质的非微扰问题。该项目包括三个关键领域。第一部分深入研究了包含无质量高自旋场的引力理论及其在规范/引力对偶中的作用;第二是为了更好地理解Anti de Sitter（AdS）背景下的弦理论量子化，第三个是研究某些超对称的非-阿贝尔规范理论，其中精确的结果是可能的，通过本地化的方法。这个项目也预计将有一些更广泛的影响。在研究具体研究问题的同时，研究生和博士后研究员将获得广泛的指导和培训，这将为他们成为未来的独立科学家做出积极贡献。PI打算为研究生和高年级本科生开设关于理论物理研究最新趋势的特别课程，并在国际研究所为学生和年轻研究人员举办的学校讲座。PI还计划积极参与各种外展计划，例如举办公开讲座和向非技术期刊传达最新研究进展。

This award funds the research activities of Professor Simone Giombi at Princeton University.One of the key developments in string theory has been the discovery of surprising dualities relating quantum gravitational theories to gauge theories. Professor Giombi's research program is aimed at a broad and thorough study of various aspects of the gauge/gravity duality. This work will deepen our fundamental understanding of the physics underlying the relation between gauge and gravitational theories, and exploit the gauge/gravity duality in order to develop a powerful toolbox for answering non-perturbative questions about strongly coupled gauge theory or the nature of quantum gravity. This project consists of three key areas. The first one is devoted to a deep study of the gravitational theories involving massless higher spin fields and their role in the gauge/gravity duality; the second is to better understand the quantization of string theory in Anti de Sitter (AdS) backgrounds, and the third involves the study of certain supersymmetric subsectors of non-abelian gauge theories where exact results are possible by the method of localization.This project is also expected to have a number of broader impacts. While working on specific research problems, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will receive extensive mentoring and training which will positively contribute to their formation as future independent scientists. The PI intends to develop special classes for graduate students and advanced undergraduates about recent trends in theoretical physics research, and to lecture at schools for students and young researchers held at international institutes. The PI also plans to become active in various outreach programs, such as giving public lectures and communicating recent research advances to non-technical journals.