01/29/2024
By Joanne Gagnon-Ketchen
David Mattingly, Ph.D., from the University of New Hampshire, will give a talk on: An Accessible Introduction to Quantum Gravity Phenomenology.
Abstract: A mathematically complete and experimentally tested theory of quantum gravity has been an outstanding problem for almost a century. The difficulty in constructing such a theory is twofold. First, quantum gravity is expected to radically reshape our notions of time and space, leaving room for varying theoretical assumptions and a plethora of models. Second, the presumed energy scale of strong quantum gravity effects - the Planck energy - is orders of magnitude beyond terrestrial experiments and astrophysical observations, making experimentally differentiating between models difficult. Over the past two decades, however, progress has been made by teasing out small residual effects at lower energies. This is the field of quantum gravity phenomenology, which leverages everything from astrophysics and early universe cosmology to tabletop experiments and quantum information techniques. In this talk I will give an overview of this field, accessible and enjoyable for both specialists and non-specialists, and introduce some intriguing future directions.
Bio: David Mattingly is currently an associate professor at the University of New Hampshire where he spends his time teaching, thinking about quantum gravity and black holes, and figuring out how to improve accessibility and outcomes of academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research spans both many different approaches to quantum gravity and many different experimental techniques. Besides his academic career, he also has worked as a software engineer, at a Silicon Valley startup as the resident physicist, and as a consultant for K-12 educational companies. He lives on the North Shore, which is his favorite part of the country, with his wife and the three of his children who haven't gone off to college yet.