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Jamboree presentation

Gravity is probably my favourite force in the Universe.
Einstein's General Relativity is a successful theory of classical gravitational fields, consistent with experiments all the way from micron scales out to the edges of the visible universe.
But as a quantum field theory, it fails, giving nonsense at high energies.
How much can we learn about Quantum Gravity? Black holes provide a fascinating laboratory for investigating this.

When do quantum effects become important in systems with gravity, for as many different contexts as possible, with black holes, in various dimensions?

Qualitatively new emergent phenomena can arise in physical systems in the limit of a large number of field degrees of freedom. Does classical spacetime emerge from more fundamental LEGOs?

Two useful toolsets I recruit:
1. aspects of String Theory, a promising approach to QG;
2. Holography, which originated in string theory but doesn't require it.

I am currently looking for 1-2 new grad students. If you think you might be interested in what I work on, please contact me for a chat. I am not a scary monster and I don't bite! :D
Suggested courses (in order of importance):-
1. Quantum Field Theory x 2 [required by all T-HEP advisors]
2. General Relativity x 2
3. depending on your background, some of: PHY1500F Stat Mech, PHY1540S Math Methods, PHY2408S Phenomenology, PHY2108/9 Statistical methods, ...
For more info online, please visit my home page.