Higher-derivative systems studentship

This studentship involves working on integrable classical and quantum field theories.

• Qualification Type: PhD
• Hours: Full Time
• Title of project: Higher-derivative systems with benign ghosts from integrable systems
• Placed On: 1^st February 2022

Overview

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in the Department of Mathematics. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on integrable classical and quantum field theories

Theories based on higher derivative Lagrangians have been largely discarded despite their appealing property of being renormalizable and potential candidates for the construction of a fundamental theory of everything (TOE).

The main reason for their dismissal is that they inevitably contain ghosts, that are features which violate causality and/or unitarity on the classical, quantum mechanical and field theoretical level.

However, a recently found distinction between so-called benign and malicious ghosts has opened up the possibility to make sense of such type of theories, as the former possess islands of stability where the theories are well-defined.

Today only very few examples of such type of theories have been identified and little is known about their properties.

The central aim of the project is to enlarge this class of models and to gather more insight into their behaviour. Higher charges of integrable models as well as their perturbations constitute promising candidates.

Eligibility and requirements

The candidate should have an upper second-class honours BSc/MSc (or equivalent, or higher) degree in physics or mathematics. They should demonstrate aptitude for original research.

The candidate should have a solid background in physics, especially quantum mechanics and field theory, with a strong mathematical component. In addition, the candidate should feel comfortable to code with standard modern software, especially Mathematica.

A doctoral candidate is expected to meet the following pre-requisites for their PhD:

1. Demonstrate a sound knowledge of their research area
2. Achieve and demonstrate significant depth in at least a few chosen sub-areas relevant to their primary research area
3. Demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research, including a critical assessment of their own and others’ research

Having published high-quality papers in reputable peer-reviewed conferences and journals will be an advantage for the candidate.

Funding

The studentship is for 3 years and will provide full coverage of tuition fees (Home and Overseas) and an annual tax-free stipend of £12,000.

Each student would also have the opportunity to earn around £2.2K pa on an average (max. is around £4.3K pa) through a teaching assistantship. We shall prioritise these scholarship holders while allocating the teaching assistantships.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying, you are encouraged to email initial informal enquiries to Professor Andreas Fring.

• Email Professor Andreas Fring

Visit our Mathematics research degrees web page for further information on making a formal application.

When submitting your application, enter the title “Higher-derivative systems with benign ghosts from integrable systems” and you will automatically be considered for this studentship.

You do not need to submit a proposal as part of your application as the project has already been outlined.

The online application can be found in the ‘How to apply section’ in the web link above and should include the following supporting documents:

• Copies of Degree Certificates and Transcripts in official English translation - original will be requested before an offer is made.
• Official work e-mail addresses (not private ones) for two referees (one of which must be an academic).
• Proof of English Language proficiency (minimum average score of 6.5 IELTS, with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the four components) if English is not your first language.
• Passport.

The outcome of the selection process should be announced by the end of June. The successful candidate will formally start their doctorate either in July or in October 2022.

For queries regarding the application process, please email the School.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

City, University of London is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all its activities, processes, and culture, for our whole community, including staff, students and visitors.

We welcome applications regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or social class. For more information on our approaches to encouraging an inclusive environment, please see our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion pages.