Luis Fernando Alday

Luis Fernando Alday is the Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Mathematical Institute within the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division. He is also the Head of the Mathematical Physics Group and a fellow at Wadham College, having joined Oxford in 2010 and moved to Wadham in 2020 after serving as a tutorial fellow at Hertford College.

His research centers on the deep interplay between theoretical physics and mathematics, particularly in the domains of String Theory, Supersymmetric Gauge Theories, and Conformal Field Theories. He employs advanced techniques such as the conformal bootstrap, exact computations in supersymmetric theories, and the AdS/CFT duality to uncover universal mathematical structures in quantum field theories. His work often bridges formal theory with computational precision, especially in four-dimensional N=2 theories and gluon scattering amplitudes.

The trend in his recent research, as reflected in his publications, emphasizes non-perturbative methods, integrability, and holography, with a strong focus on exact results and dualities in quantum field theory and string theory.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• ERC Advanced Grant (2018–2023)
• ERC Starting Grant (2012–2017)
• Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2012)
• LMS Whitehead Prize (2013)

Prof. Alday has supervised several PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, though specific names are not listed in the source. He has led major research initiatives funded by the European Research Council and contributes significantly to the academic community through lectures, mini-courses, and collaborations worldwide. His teaching includes the Conformal Field Theory module for the MMathPhys course.

He is actively involved in the Mathematical Physics Group at Oxford, which conducts cutting-edge research in quantum field theory, string theory, and related mathematical structures. The group fosters collaboration across disciplines and hosts seminars, visitors, and training programs for early-career researchers.