Research

High-Energy Nuclear Physics

2020 - Present

My work in high energy nuclear physics is primarily concerned with studying quark gluon plasma formed during nuclear collisions at high energies (TeV scales). My research probes the physics of QGP using an analysis of jets of quarks and gluons (partons) that shoot out of QGP during collisions. The aim of this work is to understand the elusive physics behind quantum chromodynamics (QCD), governed by the strong force.

My most recent work has been the theoretical study of observables related to jet-quenching -- the process by which jets lose energy as they propagate through the QGP -- using the hybrid strong/weak coupling model. The hybrid model treats the physics of jet evolution at different scales differently -- branching within the parton shower is treated perturbatively, while interactions with the QGP result in each parton in the shower losing energy as it would at strong coupling. My work, under the guidance of Prof. Krishna Rajagopal (MIT) and Dr. Daniel Pablos Alfonso (University of Oviedo), applies holographic techniques from the gauge/gravity duality to calculate jet observables within the context of the hybrid strong/weak coupling model of jet quenching.

Before working on the theoretical physics of jets, I worked with Prof. Brian Cole (Columbia University) on the study of experimental jet physics in heavy ion collisions. My project was on the modification of angular dijet yields in lead-lead and proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

Mathematical Gauge Theory

2022 - 2023

I wrote a senior thesis in mathematics under the supervision of Prof. Mike Miller Eismeier (Columbia University). Broadly, my thesis described the differential geometric and gauge theoretic foundations underlying particle physics. The final result of my thesis focused on Yang--Mills instantons and the Atiyah-Hitchin-Singer theorem of SU(2)-instantons on the 4-sphere.

Preparation for writing this thesis included reading multiple textbooks, papers, and courses. Courses that directly relate to my thesis include quantum field theory, topology, differentiable manifolds, and differential geometry. Some good textbooks in mathematics that helped me include Differential Geometry by Loring Tu, Partial Differential Equations by Lawrence C. Evans, Index Theory with Applications to Mathematics and Physics by David Bleecker and Bernehlm Booß–Bavnbek, and Elliptic Operators, Topology, and Asymptotic Methods by John Roe.

My thesis can be found here. I also posted a few related videos on index theory to my YouTube channel.

Magnetism

2019 - 2021

I worked with Prof. Robert Camley (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs) on a project that studied the dynamics of a 1-dimensional chain of magnetized spins under asymmetric exchange interactions. This project was motivated by similar models with uniform exchange and the Dzyaloshinski-Moriya Interaction (DMI). Our work was published in the Journal of Advanced Electronic Materials in September 2021.