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Professor Andreas Brandhuber

Andreas

Head of Centre for Theoretical Physics | Professor of Theoretical Physics

Email: a.brandhuber@qmul.ac.uk
Room Number: G. O. Jones Building, Room 603
Website: http://www.strings.ph.qmul.ac.uk/~andreas/

Profile

I am a director of the Centre for Theoretical Physics (CTP). I have held postdoctoral fellowships at Tel Aviv University, CERN and Caltech, before joining QMUL in 2003. I received my PhD jointly from CERN and Technical University Vienna.

My current research interests are centred around modern methods for the computation of scattering amplitudes with the twofold goal of exhibiting novel symmetries and mathematical structures, and exploiting these insights to develop vastly more efficient tools to compute amplitudes. The theories of concern include N=4 supersymmetric gauge theory, QCD and gravity. Very recently I have employed these techniques to extract results in general relativity relevant to the binary blackhole problem and gravitational radiation.

Prizes and Awards:

  1. Feinberg Foundation Visiting Faculty Program Fellowship, Weizmann Institute, Israel  (2011-2012)
  2. Nuclear Physics B Most Cited Article 2006-2010 Award, with Paul Heslop and Gabriele Travaglini, for the paper MHV Amplitudes in N=4 super Yang-Mills and Wilson Loops. The paper is also available through the arXiv.
  3. Ludwig Boltzmann Prize of the Austrian Physical Society (2005)

Teaching

In the academic year 2022/2023 I teach Quantum Mechanics B (3rd year BSc, Semester A) and will supervise BSc/MSci and MSc projects (potential project titles).

Research

Research Interests:

I am a director of the Centre for Theoretical Physics (CTP). My main research interests are aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of gauge theories and theories of gravity and their interrelations, exploiting insights from string theory and dualities. In the past this has included: the study of the non-perturbative dynamics of supersymmetric gauge theories using exactly calculable anomalies, branes in string theory and dualities; M-theory compactifications on G_2 manifolds and their implications for model building; and the AdS/CFT correspondence.

Since 2004 I have been working in the rapidly growing and fertile area of modern methods for scattering amplitudes. Due to the extensive work of me and my collaborators at the CRST we are now one of the leading groups in amplitudes research with currently seven group members working in this area. Topics that I am particularly interested in include:

  • Discovery of novel on-shell methods for scattering amplitudes in gauge theories and gravity. This includes supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric theories such as pure Yang-Mills and QCD, and theories in various dimensions including ABJM-type Chern-Simons matter theories in d=3 and six-dimensional theories.
  • The duality of Wilson loops and amplitudes, and its relation to hidden mathematical structures such as dual conformal symmetry and integrable structures
  • The study of form factors and their relations to amplitudes in QCD. In particular the exploration of the unexpected similarity of form factors in N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills and Higgs plus parton amplitudes in QCD, and its relation to new mathematical structures such as transcendentality.
  • Applications of modern amplitude methods to extract classical observables in General Relativity relevant for gravitational wave physis.

Examples of research funding:

Current Grants:

  1. STFC Consolidated Grant: "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality" ST/X00063X/1, A Brandhuber (PI), D Berman, M Buican, R Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, M Perry, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, B Spence, G Travaglini, D Vegh, C Wen, C White, £1,477,965 (2023-2026).
  2. Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020): "Bootstrap and Uniqueness for Form Factors and the S-matrix" (EC grant agreement number 101025095), A Brandhuber (PI), L Rodina (PDRA), €224,934 (2022-2024).
  3. STFC Consolidated Grant: "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality" ST/T000686/1, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, M Buican, MB Green, RJF Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, MG Perry, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, G Travaglini, C White, £890,210  (2020-2023).
  4. European Training Network "SAGEX", Scattering Amplitudes: from Geometry to Experiment, PI G Travaglini, 8 academic partner universities, ca. €4,000,000 (2018-2022).

Previous Grants:

  1. STFC Consolidated Grant: "String Theory, Gauge Theory and Duality" ST/P000754/1, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, M Shigemori, WJ Spence, S Thomas, G Travaglini, C Papageorgakis, C White, £710,337 (2017-2021).                            
  2. STFC Consolidated Grant, String Theory, Gauge Theory and Duality, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, WJ Spence, S Thomas, G Travaglini, and B Wecht,  £726,605 (2014-2017).

  3. STFC Consolidated Grant, String Theory, Gauge Theory and Duality, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, WJ Spence, S Thomas, G Travaglini, and B Wecht,  £632,431 (2011-2014).

  4. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): A. Brandhuber, WJ Spence and G. Travaglini: Grant for the International Workshop: "Amplitudes 2010",  £6,363 (May 2010).

  5. STFC Rolling Grant, String Theory, Gauge Theory and Duality, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, WJ Spence, S Thomas, G Travaglini, £1,405,736 (2008-2013); superceded in 2011 by STFC Consolidated Grant.

  6. INFN (Italy): Brandhuber, Spence, Travaglini, V. Del Duca (INFN, Torino), N. Glover (IPPP, Durham), D. Kosower (CEA, Saclay), E. Laenen (Nikhef, Amsterdam), G. Passarino (University of Torino), D. Zeppenfeld (University of Karlsruhe). Two month workshop "Advancing Collider Physics: from Twistors to Monte Carlos" at the Galileo Galilei Institute for Theoretical Physics, Arcetri, Florence, Italy, August 27-October 26 2007, (€125,000).

  7. PPARC Rolling Grant  "String theory, gauge theory and gravity", Berman, Brandhuber, Ramgoolam, Spence, Thomas, £249,800 (2006-2008).

  8. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): A. Brandhuber and B. Spence: Grant for the International Workshop: "From Twistors to Amplitudes",  £4,700 (November 2005).

  9. Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) Special Project Grant: A. Brandhuber and B. Spence, "Gauge theory, string theory and twistor space techniques", £134,010, (2005-2007).

  10. European Union, Framework 6, Marie Curie Training and Mobility of Researchers Grant, "Superstrings",  €259,980, (2004-2008).

Publications

My list of publications:

Complete list of publications on inspirehep.net

Supervision

Scattering Amplitudes describes broadly the research direction I am planning to work on with PhD students. I am more than happy to discuss details of my current research focus with potential applicants.

Project Title
Classical general relativity and gravitational waves from scattering amplitudes

 

Dissemination

Conference Talks:

8/2022 "Stringfest@Swansea", fpuk 2022 , Swansea

6/2022 SAGEX Closing Meeting, QMUL

9/2018 SAGEX Kickoff Meeting, QMUL

7/2017 Amplitudes 2017, Edinburgh

4/2017 KITP Conference: "Scattering Amplitudes: from Gauge Theory to Gravity", Santa Barbara

4/2013 Amplitudes 2013, Ringberg Castle

 

Conferences Organised:

6/2022 SAGEX Closing Meeting, QMUL

11/2019 Breakthroughs in Quantum Field Theory and Gravity: an Afternoon with Bern, Dixon and Kosower, QMUL

9/2018 SAGEX Kickoff Meeting, QMUL

4/2012 Recent Advances in Scattering Amplitudes, Cambridge

5/2010 Amplitudes 2010, QMUL

11/2005 From Twistors to Amplitudes, QMUL

 

General Public: 

Article on scattering amplitudes: Picture perfect

Grants

Current Grants:

  1. STFC Consolidated Grant: "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality" ST/X00063X/1, A Brandhuber (PI), D Berman, M Buican, R Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, M Perry, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, B Spence, G Travaglini, D Vegh, C Wen, C White, £1,477,965 (2023-2026).
  2. Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020): "Bootstrap and Uniqueness for Form Factors and the S-matrix" (EC grant agreement number 101025095), A Brandhuber (PI), L Rodina (PDRA), €224,934 (2022-2024).
  3. STFC Consolidated Grant: "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality" ST/T000686/1, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, M Buican, MB Green, RJF Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, MG Perry, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, G Travaglini, C White, £890,210  (2020-2023).
  4. European Training Network "SAGEX", Scattering Amplitudes: from Geometry to Experiment, PI G Travaglini, 8 academic partner universities, ca. €4,000,000 (2018-2022).
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