Abstract:
String theory and cosmology are made for each other. Fundamental questions about our universe call for an understanding of quantum gravity.
On the other hand, observational cosmology provides a promising window to probe high energy physics. In this talk, I will discuss how quantum gravity can impose fundamental constraints on inflationary cosmology. I will also argue why an inflationary universe – our current theoretical paradigm of the macroscopic world – is incomplete on its own and requires a microscopic, high energy completion. I will describe some recent developments in constructing inflationary models from string theory, the observational signatures of these models, and how one may use data to uncover the underlying fundamental physics.
Brief Bio:
Prof. Gary Shiu received his PhD degree in Physics from Cornell University in 1998. He has held research appointments at the C.N. Yang Institute for Theoretical Physics at Stony Brook, and the University of Pennsylvania before joining the faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he is currently Kellett Professor of Physics.
Prof. Shiu's research interests span a wide range of areas in string theory, high energy physics, and cosmology, with an emphasis on connecting fundamental theory to experiments. Among the honors he received include the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Cottrell Scholar Award, the Research Innovation Award, and the National Science Foundation Career Award. He was named a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the US National Academy of Sciences. He has held visiting Professorships in several universities worldwide. He was appointed the Johannes Diderik van der Waals Chair at the University of Amsterdam, and Chair Professor of Physics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, and a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Science.
Research achievements and scientific leadership aside, Prof. Shiu is an award-winning teacher. He received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2012, the highest teaching honor bestowed upon the University of Wisconsin faculty. Prof. Shiu is passionate about taking science to students and the public.