12.04.2010 —

The string theory is the main focus of a course with outstanding lecturers which is being coordinated by scientists at the Excellence Cluster Universe. The course will be held from 25 July to 6 August 2010 at the research center in Munich/Garching. It is intended for young researchers and doctoral candidates working in the field of theoretical high energy physics, particularly in the area of string theory. At the same time the organizers are placing great emphasis on the advancement of scientists from less economically developed countries: Approximately 35 participants will receive a full scholarship. The summer course is promoted by the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service) (DAAD) and the German Federal Foreign Office.

Professor Ilka Brunner and Dr. Marco Baumgartl of the junior research group „Extra Dimensions in Particle Physics and Cosmology“ at the Cluster, as well as Dr. Michael Haack, scientific coordinator at the Arnold Sommerfeld Center are organizing the summer course. The team was able to attract renowned scientists from international research institutes to hold lectures at the summer school. The following scientists have confirmed their participation: Hirosi Ooguri of the Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU, Japan), Neil Lambert of King’s College London (KCL), Atish Dabholkar of the Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies (LPTHE, Paris), Barton Zwiebach of the Massachussetts Institute for Technology (MIT), Ralph Blumenhagen and Johanna Erdmenger from the Max-Planck Institut für Physik (MPP, München), as well as Roberto Emperan of the University of Barcelona and Dam Thanh Son of Washington University.

The course is divided into two parts: The first week is devoted to the basics of the string theory. Four lectures will be held per day including discussions. In the practical exercises that follow the lectures, the participants will have the opportunity to study the content in depth in small work groups. More advanced topics are to be covered in the second week; the daily schedule will follow the same pattern as the first week. The organizers are also planning different activities during leisure time in order to give the scientists the opportunity to network and compare notes.

„We already have 100 applications from all over the world, including Azerbaijan, Chile, China, India, South Africa and the USA, which emphasizes the international character of the summer school“, adds Ilka Brunner. „During the planning, it was important to us that the young scientists be taught by internationally renowned experts in theoretical physics. For this reason, we are pleased that top scientists like  Hirosi Ooguri and Barton Zwiebach, who recently brought out an excellent book on the string theory, have accepted our invitation and made themselves available as lecturers.“

„This summer school for theoretical high energy physics is expressly committed to sponsoring students from less economically developed countries,” Dr. Marco Baumgartl explains. „We are offering talented young people the chance to broaden their scientific knowledge at an international level despite financial restrictions in their home countries and to create networks. Both sides will profit from knowledge transfer.“