Institute For Advanced Study Hosts Summer Program In String Theory

Prospects in Theoretical Physics, an intensive two-week summer program geared specifically to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars considering a career in theoretical physics, will take place at the Institute for Advanced Study from July 17 to 28. First held at the Institute in 2002, Prospects in Theoretical Physics has, in past years, covered topics ranging from the Large Hadron Collider to cosmology and strings.

The program builds upon the strong relationship between the research groups at the Institute and Princeton University. Representatives from both institutions are among the program�s organizers and lecturers.

"This goal of this program is to contribute to the U.S. physics community's efforts to train highly qualified graduate students, and to prepare them to become leaders in the field," says Chiara Nappi, Professor of Physics at Princeton University, one of the program organizers. "The exposure they will have to the some of the cutting edge research in theoretical physics is an experience that will enrich the education they receive at their home institutions."

The theme of this year's program is Applications of String Theory. String theory remains the leading candidate for the unification of all elementary particles and forces. In recent years, techniques from string theory have also proved very useful in addressing the physics of strong interactions, as well as many questions in cosmology. The 2006 program will focus on these applications.

Along with Professor Nappi, this year's organizer and Program Director is Juan Maldacena of the Institute for Advanced Study. In addition to the organizers, the program�s lecturers will include Niklas Beisert (Princeton University); Mirjam Cvetic (University of Pennsylvania); Steven Gubser (Princeton University); Nissan Itzhaki (Princeton University); Shamit Kachru (Stanford University); Igor Klebanov (Princeton University); Joseph Polchinski (University of California, Santa Barbara); Cumrun Vafa (Harvard University); Herman Verlinde (Princeton University); and Edward Witten (Institute for Advanced Study).

Prospects in Theoretical Physics 2006 is hosted by the Institute�s School of Natural Sciences and receives funding from The Concordia Foundation.

For further information about the program, please call (609) 734-8389 or visit www.ias.edu/pitp.