Find Academic Supervisors

Professor Andreas Brandhuber is a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Head of the Centre for Theoretical Physics at Queen Mary University of London's School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. He has held postdoctoral fellowships at Tel Aviv University, CERN, and Caltech before joining Queen Mary in 2003. He received his PhD jointly from CERN and Technical University Vienna. His research focuses on modern methods for computing scattering amplitudes with the goal of revealing novel symmetries and mathematical structures while developing efficient computational tools. His work bridges theoretical physics, particle physics, and gravitational physics, with particular emphasis on applications to gravitational wave physics and particle collisions. Professor Brandhuber's recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward applying scattering amplitude techniques to gravitational physics, particularly in the context of binary black hole systems and gravitational wave radiation. His work increasingly connects quantum field theory methods with general relativity through approaches like the double copy formalism and effective field theories of gravity, showing how insights from particle physics can solve problems in gravitational physics. His scientific achievements have been recognized through several prestigious awards: Ludwig Boltzmann Prize of the Austrian Physical Society (2005) Nuclear Physics B Most Cited Article 2006-2010 Award for the paper 'MHV Amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills and Wilson Loops' Feinberg Foundation Visiting Faculty Program Fellowship at the Weizmann Institute, Israel (2011-2012) Professor Brandhuber actively supervises PhD students, with current research focusing on scattering amplitudes and their applications to gravitational physics. He leads the Centre for Theoretical Physics research group, which includes several postdoctoral researchers and PhD students working on related topics. His grant portfolio includes significant funding from the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the European Commission, including a £1.47 million STFC grant for 'Amplitudes, Strings and Duality' running from 2023-2026. He has organized numerous international conferences and workshops on scattering amplitudes, including the SAGEX Closing Meeting at QMUL in 2022 and the Amplitudes 2010 workshop. His research group is actively engaged in the SAGEX (Scattering Amplitudes: from Gauge theory EXperiments) network, which connects theoretical physics with experimental gravitational wave observations.

• Quantum Field Theory
• String Theory
• Scattering Amplitudes
• +4 more

Dr. Sanjaye Ramgoolam is a Reader in Theoretical Physics at the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London. His research focuses on string theory, quantum field theory, representation theory, and combinatorics, with particular emphasis on gauge-string duality (AdS/CFT correspondence) and permutation invariant matrix models. He has pioneered mathematical frameworks using representation theory and combinatorics to explore the holographic map between quantum field theories and string theory. His work also extends to applications in financial matrix models and computational linguistics via matrix statistics. Teaching roles include advanced courses such as Mathematical Techniques 4 and Advanced Quantum Field Theory. He has supervised numerous PhD students, including Costis Papageorgakis and Tom Brown, and collaborates with researchers like Andreas Brandhuber and Rodolfo Russo on grants like 'Amplitudes, Strings and Duality' funded by STFC. Recent research highlights include Gaussian permutation invariant matrix models, quantum thermodynamics in large N systems, and combinatorial topological string theories. His work bridges fundamental physics with mathematical structures, offering insights into quantum gravity and dualities. Key grants include the Royal Society-funded 'Combinatorics and algorithms for quantum states in holography' (2025-2026) and STFC's 'Amplitudes, Strings and Duality' (2023-2026). His 15 most recent articles span topics like eigenvalue systems for multi-matrix invariants, permutation symmetry in quantum thermodynamics, and Kronecker coefficients from ribbon graphs. Though no explicit awards are listed, his extensive publications and grants reflect significant contributions to theoretical physics.

• String theory
• Quantum field theory
• Representation theory
• +3 more

Prof. Gabriele Travaglini is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences and the Centre for Fundamental Physics. His research focuses on scattering amplitudes in quantum field theory and gravity, with applications to gravitational wave studies and string theory. He coordinates major initiatives like the SAGEX network (2018–2022), training early-stage researchers in scattering amplitudes. Research interests include hidden symmetries in quantum field theories, N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills, and supergravity. Recent work applies amplitude techniques to classical gravitational phenomena, such as black hole mergers. Key achievements include leadership in SAGEX, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie network, and awards like the Leverhulme Research Fellowship and Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Award. Grants & Awards: Leverhulme Research Fellowship (2024–2025) Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award (2016) Faculty of Science and Engineering Research Achievement Award (2012) Former Associateship to the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (2011–2012) Nuclear Physics B Most Cited Article Award (2006–2010) Supervision & Teaching: Supervised 11 PhD students, teaching advanced courses like Relativistic Waves and Quantum Fields. Current students include Pablo Vives Matasan (2023–). Labs & Collaborations: Active in SAGEX and the Amplitudes, Strings, and Duality consortia, focusing on interdisciplinary applications of scattering amplitudes.

• Quantum Field Theory
• Scattering Amplitudes
• Gravitational Waves
• +4 more

Bill Spence is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. He is a founder of the Centre for Fundamental Physics and has held leadership roles including Vice-Principal (Research) and Head of the Department of Physics. His research focuses on string theory, quantum gravity, twistor theory, and celestial amplitudes. Spence earned his PhD from King's College London and a B.Sc. from the Australian National University. His work bridges cutting-edge theoretical physics with interdisciplinary applications, including contributions to climate policy through DivestUSS and the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice. Education : PhD in Mathematics, King's College London (1985) B.Sc. (First Class Honours), Australian National University (1981) Research Interests : String theory and its applications in physics and mathematics Celestial amplitudes and twistor theory Double copy formalism and M theory Topological field theories and manifolds of exceptional holonomy Recent Articles : Spence’s recent work emphasizes advancements in celestial amplitudes, twistor theory, and double copy frameworks. His 2024 paper on self-dual fields and 2023 study on celestial twistor amplitudes highlight his exploration of symmetry principles and spacetime structures. Earlier contributions include seminal papers on supersymmetric Yang-Mills and Wilson loops. Labs/Teams : He leads the Centre for Fundamental Physics and collaborates with the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice on ethical investment and climate policy.

• Theoretical Physics
• String Theory
• Quantum Gravity
• +6 more

Dr. Congkao Wen is a Senior Lecturer in Theoretical Physics at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, affiliated with the Centre for Fundamental Physics. He holds a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. His expertise lies in quantum field theory, quantum gravity, and string theory, with a focus on scattering amplitudes, twistor theory, and AdS/CFT correspondence. Wen earned his PhD from Brown University and has held research positions at Caltech and the University of Rome, Tor Vergata. Education PhD in Physics, Brown University Undergraduate studies in Physics, Zhejiang University Research Interests Wen’s research explores modern scattering amplitude techniques, including twistor formulations and Grassmannian geometry. He studies applications to quantum gravity, supergravity, and holographic correlators in AdS space using Mellin space methods. His work bridges scattering amplitudes and effective action constraints via soft theorems and unitarity. Grants & Awards Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2018–2025) Lead investigator on grants totaling £2.7M from STFC and Royal Society for projects like Amplitudes, Strings and Duality . Advising & Teaching Supervises undergraduate/master’s projects and teaches Introduction to Strings and Branes . His work spans 100+ publications in journals like Journal of High Energy Physics and Physical Review Letters . Labs & Collaborations Active in the Centre for Theoretical Physics at QMUL, collaborating globally on scattering amplitudes and holography.

• Quantum Field Theory
• Quantum Gravity
• String Theory
• +4 more

Furqaan Yusaf is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics at King's College London, affiliated with the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences. He contributes to both Physics Education Research (PER) and Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology (TPPC) groups. His research focuses on evidence-based education strategies for physics teaching/learning and explores particle physics beyond the Standard Model, including supersymmetry, extra dimensions, and string theory. In 2022, he received an academic promotion to Senior Lecturer through NMES promotions. His office is located in the Strand Building, Strand Campus, London.

• Physics Education Research
• Theoretical Particle Physics
• Cosmology
• +3 more

Professor Darren Price is a Professor of Particle Physics and Associate Dean for Engagement in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on dark matter searches, particle detector development, and high-energy physics experiments. He leads the SOLAIRE project to establish a UK dark matter observatory and is a key member of the ATLAS Collaboration at CERN and the DarkSide-20k experiment in Italy. He holds a University Presidential Fellowship and previously held STFC Ernest Rutherford and Marie Curie Research Fellowships. Education: PhD in Experimental Particle Physics, Lancaster University (2000s) MSc in Experimental Particle Physics, University of Manchester MA Mathematical Tripos, University of Cambridge Research Interests: Direct dark matter detection using liquid argon Time Projection Chambers Development of cryogenic silicon photosensors for rare event observatories Machine learning applications in particle physics Weak boson fusion interactions and Higgs boson decays Open Data/Open Science initiatives Scientific Awards: EU Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (2013) IPPP Senior Experimental Fellowship (2016) University Presidential Fellowship (2018) STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship (2015) Turing Fellowship (2019) Advising & Grants: Director of STFC Centre for Doctoral Training in Data Intensive Science Lead on SOLAIRE dark matter observatory project Member of UKRI-STFC GridPP7 Peer Review Panel Recipient of multiple research fellowships and grants Labs/Teams: Particle Physics Group at University of Manchester ATLAS Collaboration at CERN DarkSide-20k Collaboration (Gran Sasso Lab)

• Dark matter searches
• Silicon photosensor/semiconductor particle detector development
• Quantum sensors for low mass/energy rare phenomena
• +8 more

Professor Nadav Drukker is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at King's College London, part of the Department of Mathematics within the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences. His research focuses on string theory, supersymmetric field theories, and exactly soluble models, particularly through the lens of the AdS/CFT correspondence and Wilson loop operators. He holds an STFC Advanced Fellowship from 2010 and has exhibited his ceramic art, which integrates scientific formulas and concepts from his research, in venues like the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Education: BSc and MSc in Mathematics and Physics from Hebrew University (Jerusalem), PhD from Princeton University (2000) under David J. Gross. Postdoctoral positions at USC, Weizmann Institute, Niels Bohr Institute, and Humboldt University. Research Interests: String Theory and AdS/CFT Correspondence Supersymmetric Wilson Loops and BPS States Exactly Soluble Models in Quantum Field Theory Interdisciplinary Science-Art Projects Recent Articles: Focus on quantum holography, defects in conformal field theories, and M2-brane dynamics. Notable work includes studies of BPS loops in ABJM theory and transdimensional defects. Grants & Projects: Current STFC grant (2023–2026) supports research on theoretical physics from Planck to Hubble scales. Previously led projects on supersymmetric defects and holography. Artistic Work: Uses ceramics to represent theoretical physics concepts, blending mathematical formulas with artistic expression.

• String Theory
• Supersymmetric Field Theories
• AdS/CFT Correspondence
• +4 more

Dr. Bogdan Stefanski is a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Director of Research at the Centre for Mathematical Science, City, University of London. With a career spanning institutions like the Max Planck Institute, Spinoza Institute, Imperial College London, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has established himself as a leading expert in string theory and integrable systems. PhD in Mathematics, University of Cambridge (2000) Part III Mathematics, University of Cambridge (1996) BSc (Hons) in Mathematics & Physics, University of Natal (1995) His research focuses on the intersection of string theory and quantum field theory, particularly exploring the AdS/CFT correspondence , integrability in superstring sigma models , and the mathematical structures underlying Calabi-Yau manifolds and K-theory . His work addresses fundamental questions about how supersymmetric gauge theories emerge from 10-dimensional string constructions , with implications for quantum gravity and non-perturbative effects. Recent publications analyze the low-energy limits of AdS3/CFT2 , dressing factors in integrable systems , and quantum spectral curves . These papers often involve collaborations with researchers like Olof Ohlsson Sax and Alessandro Torrielli, appearing in venues such as the Journal of High Energy Physics and Journal of Physics A. EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow Marie Curie Intra-European and Outgoing Fellow Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter Fellow Bogdan Stefanski's work bridges formal string theory with mathematical physics, leveraging advanced techniques in Yangian symmetry , boundary superstring field theory , and non-linear sigma models to unravel the deep connections between gravity, gauge theory, and quantum information.

• String Theory
• Quantum Field Theory
• AdS/CFT Correspondence
• +5 more

Henning U Flaecher is Professor of Physics at the University of Bristol, School of Physics. He earned a PhD from London and a Diploma from Heidelberg University. His research centres on the search for dark matter via collider experiments (CMS at CERN) and direct detection (LUX-ZEPLIN at SURF), with strong activity in particle physics, supersymmetry, and Higgs/lepton physics. Education PhD (Lond.) Diploma (Heidelberg) Research Interests Professor Flaecher's work is driven by the quest to identify dark matter. He pursues this through two complementary avenues: high-energy proton–proton collisions recorded by the CMS detector at CERN, where new particles could manifest in missing-transverse-energy signatures, and ultra-low-background underground detectors such as LUX-ZEPLIN that attempt to observe dark-matter particles scattering off xenon nuclei. Themes span Standard Model tests, Higgs boson properties, supersymmetric extensions, and lepton final states, all feeding into global fits of theoretical models constrained by experimental data. Projects & Funding At present, he leads or co-leads several UK Research Council grants, including: XLZD Pre-Construction (2024-2027) GridPP7 Bristol Tier-2 Hardware Tranche-1 (2024-2026) XLZD@Boulby – Xenon Futures R&D Phase 3 (2023-2024) Supervision & Collaboration He has supervised nine advanced student works and collaborates extensively across the CMS and LZ consortia, involving institutions world-wide.

• Dark Matter Physics
• Particle Physics
• Collider Physics
• +3 more

Professor Helen F Heath is a distinguished academic at the School of Physics, University of Bristol , with a focus on Particle Physics and High-Energy Physics . Her work spans experimental and theoretical domains, emphasizing precision measurements at CERN. Ph.D. in Physics (Bristol) and M.A. (Oxon.) Chartered Physicist (C.Phys.) and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) Research Interests: Central to her research is the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). She has contributed to the design of the electromagnetic calorimeter, served on the Standard Model Physics publication committee, and works on the NA62 rare kaon decay experiment . Her past work with the ZEUS collaboration at DESY involved tracking detectors and calorimeter construction. Publications & Projects: With over 732 research outputs, her recent work includes observations of the Higgs Boson (2012) and studies of WW/WZ production (2013). She led projects like Developing and Enhancing STEM Communicator Models (2010–2012) and Measurement of differential jet cross sections (2013). Scientific Recognition: Her contributions are evidenced by 8800+ citations (Scopus) for the Higgs Boson discovery paper Leadership roles in international collaborations (CMS, NA62, ZEUS) Advising & External Roles: She has served as an External Examiner at Strathclyde (2023–2026) and Keele (2018–2022), and as a PhD External Supervisor (2014–2017). Her work bridges academic rigor and practical detector design.

• Particle Physics
• Experimental Physics
• High-Energy Physics
• +5 more

Dr. Mark Grimes is a Senior Research Associate in the School of Physics at the University of Bristol. He specializes in detector design for CERN's Large Hadron Collider, contributing to high-energy physics experiments through the CMS Collaboration. University: University of Bristol School: School of Physics Role: Researcher Research Interests: His work focuses on the Standard Model, lepton physics, and transverse momentum analysis, with applications in Higgs boson studies, supersymmetry, and muon physics. His research contributes to understanding fundamental particle interactions. Publications: Mark has authored 32 academic articles, including studies on azimuthal anisotropy, quarkonium production, and top quark cross-sections in high-energy collisions. These works emphasize precision measurements in collider experiments.

• Standard Model
• Lepton Physics
• Transverse Momentum
• +5 more

Dr. Livia Ferro serves as an Associate Professor in Research Mathematics and Theoretical Physics within the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science. Her primary research focuses on fundamental aspects of quantum field theory and particle physics through geometric and algebraic frameworks. Her research expertise centers on scattering amplitudes in supersymmetric theories , geometric formulations of scattering amplitudes , and quantum integrability in gauge theories . Key contributions include pioneering work on the momentum amplituhedron, celestial superamplitudes, and positive geometries for unitarity. Her fingerprint reveals deep engagement with Scattering Amplitude (100%), Yang-Mills Theory (48%), and Amplituhedron (27%) concepts, demonstrating specialization in advanced mathematical structures for quantum interactions. Current research trends show consistent high-impact publications in Journal of High Energy Physics since 2006, with accelerating output since 2017. Recent work explores fibration geometries for loop amplitudes (2025), prescriptive unitarity (2024), and celestial Grassmannian formulations (2021), indicating progression toward unifying geometric methods across perturbative regimes. Dr. Ferro leads the active Modern Foundations of Scattering Amplitudes project (2024-2028) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), focusing on fundamental interactions in elementary particle physics. Her collaborative network spans international institutions with significant activity in scattering amplitude research since 2020. Her research group operates within the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, contributing to the university's theoretical physics cluster specializing in quantum field theory formalisms and geometric approaches to particle interactions.

• Scattering Amplitudes
• Quantum Integrability
• Geometric Formulations
• +3 more

Dr. Benedict Allbrooke is a Senior Research Fellow in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex, within the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. He has been an active member of the ATLAS collaboration since 2015, contributing significantly to the experiment's trigger systems and physics analysis programs. His research focuses on experimental particle physics, with particular expertise in trigger system development, Higgs boson physics, and Standard Model validation. Dr. Allbrooke has played key roles in the ATLAS Hardware Track Trigger upgrade project and currently serves as the ATLAS Trigger Configuration and Database co-ordinator, managing critical infrastructure for data acquisition and analysis. Analysis of his recent publication record reveals a strong emphasis on Higgs boson properties, top quark physics, and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. His work spans precision measurements of Standard Model processes and innovative searches for new phenomena, often requiring sophisticated trigger strategies to capture rare events. Dr. Allbrooke supervises PhD students and leads software development efforts for trigger configuration tools, providing opportunities for students to engage with cutting-edge high-energy physics research and international collaboration within the ATLAS experiment.

• Particle Physics
• High Energy Physics
• ATLAS Experiment
• +5 more