Science, Engineering and Technology Group

Department of Physics and Astronomy

THEORETICAL PHYSICS

Research profileThe Institute of Theoretical Physics has a long tradition of fundamental research in mathematical and theoreticalphysics, involving extensive modelling and theory buildingin statistical physics, in the theory of dynamical systems,in elementary particle physics, in string theory and in cosmology. Important methods involve computationalphysics, stochastic modelling and the analysis of complexdynamical systems, networks and models on randomgraphs, as well as general methods of modern mathematical physics.

KeywordsHigh energy Physics • Quantum field theory • Mathematicalstructure of supergravity • String theories • Cosmology •Collective Phenomena and phase transitions • Steadystate thermodynamics • Nonequilibrium mesoscopicphysics • bio- and soft condensed matter physics

ContactDepartment of Physics and Astronomy

Theoretical Physics

Celestijnenlaan 200D box 2415

3001 LEUVEN, Belgium

itf.fys.kuleuven.be/

KU Leuven. Inspiring the outstanding.

Research TopicsHigh Energy Physics• AdS/CFT dualities and holography with applications

to cosmology and the physics of condensed matter• building of string-theoretically inspired models for

particle physics interactions at the presently to beexplored energy range (LHC) and cosmology

• physics of black holes• supergravity in various dimensions and extensions• quantum and string cosmology

Mathematical Physics• interacting particle systems • Gibbsian versus non-Gibbsian distributions• Percolation and stochastic geometry

• hydrodynamic descriptions• dynamical ensembles• stochastic modeling and fluctuation theory• nonequilibrium physics• quantum information theory

Statistical Mechanics• Statics and dynamics of random graphs• Biophysics and physics of molecular biology• Critical behaviour and phase transitions including

wetting• computational physics and simulation methods• Condensed matter physics, superconductivity