Quantum Field Theory (QFT) is a cornerstone of our modern description of nature, with applications ranging from condensed matter to particle physics and even quantum gravity. We routinely use QFT to make remarkably precise predictions about the world around us. However, our understanding of QFT continues to make dramatic progress. In this talk, I will describe how embedding QFTs in String Theory provides a powerful tool to aid these developments, often offering a geometric and intuitive perspective. As case studies, I will focus on dualities and the gauge gravity correspondence, two fascinating examples of ideas beyond the standard QFT paradigm.
Sebastian Franco is a theoretical physicist at the City College of the City University of New York. His primary research interests lie in String Theory and Quantum Field Theory, covering a wide array of topics—from formal aspects of String Theory to new scenarios for physics beyond the Standard Model. He has made important contributions in various areas, most notably: String Phenomenology (he introduced Intersecting Braneworlds, which have become one of the most successful and thoroughly studied scenarios connecting String Theory to particle physics), the AdS/CFT correspondence (he discovered the first infinite families of explicit AdS/CFT pairs, significantly advancing the understanding of the correspondence), the connection between geometry and quantum field theory in String Theory, and particle physics model building. At present, a great part of Franco's research is devoted to charting the vast landscape of quantum field theories in various dimensions, utilizing string theory tools to uncover their dynamics.
Sebastian Franco received his Ph.D. in 2005 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He subsequently held postdoctoral positions at Princeton University, the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, and Stanford University. From 2011 to 2014, he held positions as an Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor at Durham University. In 2014, he joined the City College of the City University of New York, where he is currently a Professor and Chair of the Physics Department.