RUI: Weaving Space with Quantum Entanglement, and Black Holes in Stochastic Matrix Theory

This award funds the research activities of Professor Vatche Sahakian at Harvey Mudd College.

One of the most significant tensions in modern physics lies at the junction between our understanding of the gravitational force through Einstein's theory of General Relativity, and the state-of-the-art description of the microscopic world through Quantum Mechanics. As part of his research, Professor Sahakian will investigate this tension by exploring new ideas that suggest that the perception of space, time, and gravity can be viewed as emergent from more fundamental principles in Quantum Mechanics.

As a result, this research advances the national interest by promoting the progress of science at a foundational level: exploration of our understanding of the physical laws through inconsistencies between two pillars of modern physics. This project is also envisioned to have significant broader impacts. Undergraduate students will be involved in the research, and thus the project provides critical training for junior physicists beginning research in theoretical physics.

Professor Sahakian will also give public lectures on this research and he will continue to develop new course curricula supporting research in theoretical physics.

More technically, Professor Sahakian will explore several key ideas in string theory and quantum gravity: the possibility that resolution of the clash between quantum mechanics and general relativity might lie in a rethinking of the nature of spacetime as an emergent phenomenon arising from quantum entanglement, and the development of new computational techniques in quantum gravity to explore the character of the black hole horizon. The research goals of this project are to achieve a better understanding of the mechanics through which the fabric of spacetime can arise through entanglement entropy, as an emergent collective phenomenon of underlying microscopic dynamics in string theory; to develop new computational numerical techniques that allow for exploration of quantum gravity in new regimes; and to better understand the nature of the black hole horizon using newly developed non-perturbative techniques.

This project addresses fundamental questions in two general areas: emergent spacetime through quantum information theory, and stochastic quantization in quantum gravity. Professor Sahakian will also develop an undergraduate course on modern topics in theoretical physics, providing students with solid foundations for graduate school, and prepare an undergraduate textbook on classical field theory.

He will also engage in course development on high performance numerical computation in physics including exposure to machine learning and deep neural networks. Finally, a public lecture series will be implemented, bringing accessible presentations of modern physics topics to the wider community.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.