I was born in 1974 in Barcelona. I obtained my PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Barcelona in 2000. After that I enjoyed many years of wonderful postdoctoral life at Cambridge University, UK (2 years), Perimeter Institute, Canada (3 years) and University of California at Santa Barbara, USA (3 years). I am an ICREA Research Professor at the Department of Quantum Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Barcelona since July 2008. I have been awarded a Starting Grant (2012, 1.4M€) and an Advanced Grant (2024, 2.5M€) from the European Research Council.
Research interests
My main goal is to understand the physics of the Universe at the most fundamental level. Our present understanding is based on two theories. General relativity is a classical theory that provides a good description of gravitational interactions at large, macroscopic scales. The other three interactions, the electromagnetic, the strong and the weak interactions, are unified in a quantum theory, the so-called Standard Model of elementary particles. The answers to many important questions in fundamental physics require a unified, quantum theory of all interactions. These questions include the quantum properties of black holes, cosmology and the origin of the Universe, particle physics beyond the Standard Model, etc. For this reason I work on string theory, a quantum theory that has the potential to describe all forces and particles in Nature in a single, unified framework.
Selected publications
- Bea Y, Jimenez R, Mateos D, Liu SH, Protopapas P, Tarancón-alvarez P, Tejerina-Pérez P 2024, 'Gravitational duals from equations of state', Journal of high energy physics, - 7 - 87.
Selected research activities
GRANTS
Holography in the Gravitational Wave Era, Advanced ERC Grant, 2.5M€.
CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
Holography in the Gravitational Wave Era, "Entanglement, thermalization, and holography", Stony Brook, USA (April 2024).
Gravitational Waves from the Fifth Dimension, "Eurostrings 2024", Southampton, UK (Sep 2024).
Gravitational Waves from the Fifth Dimension, "Fun with the phases of the Universe", IFPU, Trieste, Italy (Oct 2024).
Gravitational Waves from the Fifth Dimension, Jornadas CPAN, Madrid, Spain (Nov 2024).
OTHER INVITED TALKS
Holography in the Gravitational Wave Era, Cambridge U, UK (April 2024).
Holography in the Gravitational Wave Era, Queen Mary University London, UK (April 2024).
Gravitational Waves from the Fifth Dimension, ICTEA meeting, Oviedo, Spain (May 2024).
Gravitational Waves from the Fifth Dimension, IFT, Madrid, Spain (Nov 2024).
CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION
"Iberian Strings 2024", member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, Porto, Portugal (January 2024).
TEACHING
"Frontiers of Theoretical Physics", Master's course, U Barcelona (Feb-March 2024).
MANAGERIAL
Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cosmos Sciences at U Barcelona (since 2012).
MEDIA
L'aplicació de l'holografia en el camp de les ones gravitacionals, radio interview, Sant Cugat, Barcelona, Spain (July 2024).