Theoretical Particle Physics

We conduct research in the areas of collider phenomenology and astro-particle theory. The collider phenomenology activity includes precision calculations for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and phenomenological studies of Higgs and electroweak gauge bosons in and beyond the Standard Model. The astro-particle activity includes theoretical developments in dark matter physics, early universe cosmology and neutrino physics. We are part of the NExT Institute.

Theoretical particle physicists develop and test models that describe the fundamental building blocks of nature (elementary particles) and how they interact (fundamental forces). Using mathematics as language and quantum theory as framework, the basic relations can be expressed in surprisingly simple and elegant form. At the same time, they allow to make predictions for amazingly different phenomena ranging from the collision of subatomic particles to the evolution of the structure of the universe. The subfield of particle physics phenomenology is concerned with investigating the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics and possible deviations from, and extensions to, it by making predictions for and comparing with measurements of collider and other particle physics experiments.

With Terascale proton collision data from the LHC, collider physics phenomenology has become a central area of particle physics. The LHC is the first machine that can access the energies required to systematically investigate electroweak symmetry breaking and the origin of mass, to search for supersymmetry (SUSY), or to revolutionise our understanding of space-time by detecting extra spatial dimensions. Another possibility is that the LHC finds evidence for the production of a dark matter candidate. Much of the evidence for dark matter comes from the study of the motions of galaxies. One generally finds that the gravitational mass is much larger than the luminous mass and therefore postulates an unknown type of matter that does not reveal itself by emitting electromagnetic radiation. The hunt for dark matter is also conducted with various dedicated direct detection experiments in deep underground laboratories.

We conduct research in the areas of collider phenomenology and astro-particle theory. The collider phenomenology activity includes precision calculations for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and phenomenological studies of Higgs and electroweak gauge bosons in and beyond the Standard Model.  The astro-particle activity includes theoretical developments in dark matter physics, early universe cosmology and neutrino physics.

News:

• South-Eastern Particle Theory Alliance Meeting (December 2017)
• NExT Physics Meeting at Royal Holloway (November 2017)
• South-Eastern Particle Theory Alliance Meeting (January 2017)
• South-Eastern Particle Theory Alliance Sussex - RHUL - UCL funded by STFC for 2017-2020 (January 2017)
• Grant "Theoretical Studies of Elementary Particles" with Oxford funded by STFC for 2017-2020 (January 2017)
• STFC co-funds fifth NExT PhD Workshop, which goes national in 2015 (December 2014)
• Stephen West lectures at BUSSTEPP (August 2014)
• Mariyan Petrov attends the CERN Summer Student Programme (July 2014)
• Nikolas Kauer's research cited in CERN Courier magazine: CMS sets new constraints on the width of the Higgs boson  (April 2014)
• IOP 2014 HEPP and APP Joint Meeting (April 2014)
• Royal Holloway and Sussex Particle Physics Theory Consortium funded by STFC for 2014-2017 (January 2014)
• Colloquium by Prof Tom Kibble, co-discoverer of the Higgs mechanism and many other distinctions (February 2013)
• NExT Physics Meeting   at RHUL (November 2012)
• Royal Holloway and Sussex Particle Physics Theory Consortium funded by STFC for 2011-2014 (October 2011)
• Stephen West awarded IPPP Associateship for 2010-2011 (October 2010)
• Stephen West's research reviewed in New Scientist magazine:   Heart of darkness could explain sun mysteries   (July 2010)
• NExT Physics Meeting   at RHUL (May 2010)
• IPPP-NExT workshop at RHUL:   Theory Experiment Interplay at the LHC   (April 2010)
• Nikolas Kauer awarded IPPP Associateship for 2009-2010 (October 2009)
• Stephen West's research reviewed in New Scientist magazine:   Black holes are the ultimate particle smashers   (September 2009).

Academics

Research students

Astro-particle physics  (supervisor: Stephen West)

LHC phenomenology  (supervisor: Nikolas Kauer)

Other topics are possible and should be discussed with a supervisor.