Quantum gravity is a wide-ranging subject, with many different
theoretical approaches and the exciting possibility of probing quantum
gravity phenomenology in the near future. The aim of this meeting was
to give an overview of current research in at least some areas of
quantum gravity, both theoretical and experimental. The talks were
pedagogical in nature and accessible to PhD students, and the meeting
informal, with plenty of time for discussion. The meeting was held in
the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, University of Durham, on
July 7-8, and organized by Ruth Gregory (Durham) and Elizabeth
Winstanley (Sheffield).
The first day began with three talks on theoretical approaches to
quantum gravity. Fay Dowker (Imperial College London) gave an
introduction to the concept of causal sets and the new construction of
swerves for particle paths on a causal set; John Barrett (Nottingham)
reviewed current research in spin foams and the latest developments in
-dimensional quantum gravity; and Bernard Kay (York) introduced
the theory of quantum field theory in curved space, and its
applications to the Casimir effect and black hole radiation. The
second session of the first day was devoted to higher dimensions and
branes. Tony Padilla (Oxford) explained the particular features of
brane world gravity, and focussed on the idea of braneworld
holography; and Christos Charmousis (Orsay) covered higher derivative
(particularly Lovelock) gravity, and its importance for
-dimensional spacetimes. The first day ended with a talk by
Panagiota Kanti (Durham) on the Hawking radiation of
higher-dimensional brane black holes.
The second day began with cosmology: Ian Moss (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
spoke about quantum effects in brane cosmology, and the role of
boundary conditions in Horava-Witten theory. Ivonne Zavala (Boulder)
brought us up-to-date with developments in brane inflation in string
theory. Then the emphasis changed to experimental areas: Joy
Christian (Oxford) explored the forthcoming experimental possibilities
of probing the Planck scale with cosmogenic neutrinos, and Giles
Hammond (Birmingham) introduced the new experiments testing the
Casimir force and the inverse square law at short range.
This two-day meeting was attended by over 60 people, including many
graduate students. The organizers would like to thank the
Mathematical & Theoretical Physics and Gravitational Physics Groups
of the Institute of Physics for financial support.
Jorge Pullin
2005-10-05