Research in Quantum Field Theory and String Theory

Research in theoretical physics will include work on supersymmetric field theories and superstring theory. Supersymmetric field theories hypothesize that for every elementary particle known, there is another particle with very closely related properties. These theories are important because they may be the correct explanation of why the weak nuclear force is not very much weaker than we observe it to be. Superstring theory is important because it is the most promising unified theory of all the fundamental forces, including gravity; it is also leading to the development of new tools for performing calculations in other theories, such as the one which describes the strong nuclear force.