Contact: grschool[AT]centrovolta.itLocation: Como, Italy
GRAVITY AND THE QUANTUM
Villa del Grumello (Como – Italy), 1-6 June 2014
The problem of merging quantum mechanics and general relativity is yet unsolved. At a fundamental level, general relativity and quantum theory seem to be contradictory and the theoretical framework of physics is still unaccomplished. It is necessary to combine these two ways of thinking into a single, even more fundamental, theoretical paradigm; this has been called “quantum gravity”. This step is also necessary for understanding extreme situations such as near the Big Bang or the black hole singularities. The school will give a general overview of the field of Quantum Gravity, of its main and most recent achievements and will propose new challenges and open questions that are looking for answers.
COURSES
Abhay Ashtekar: Quantum cosmology
John Barrett:Non-commutative geometry and quantum gravity
Eugenio Bianchi: Black holes
Laurent Freidel: Quantum space
Roberto Percacci: Asymptotic safety
Carlo Rovelli: Covariant loop quantum gravity
Alain Connes, Thibault Damour and Lee Smolin have been invited to deliver special lectures. (Their presence is not yet confirmed).
There will be room for short communications by the participants.Those who want to submit a communication proposal should send a short abstract to grschool@centrovolta.it Proponents will be informed about acceptance of their contribution in due time. Preparatory and follow-up lectures will be delivered at the University of Insubria.
Registration: Participants will be accommodated in the hotels near Villa del Grumello and will be requested to pay an inclusive fee of EURO 750,00, covering part of the accommodation (in rooms to be shared), breakfast and lunch for the duration of the school. Alternatively, participants may arrange for their own accommodation and are requested to pay only the registration fee of EURO 400,00 also covering luncheons . Accommodation form can be downloaded from the School website: http://www.centrovolta.it/sigrav2014. Accommodation is not guaranteed after May 1st, 2014. Some support to cover local expenses is available; those who need support should mention it in their registration and send a short curriculum vitae and a summary of current research (maximum two pages A4). Please, note that no support to cover travel expenses will be available.
Registration form is available on the web page http://www.centrovolta.it/sigrav2014 or at grschool@centrovolta.it
For information also contact directly the Organizing Secretariat at Centro Volta: grschool@centrovolta.it or Chiara.stefanetti@centrovolta.it, ph. +39.031.579815, fax +39.031.573395
Scientific and Organizing Committee: Ugo Moschella, Vittorio Gorini, Sergio Cacciatori, Aldo Treves, Francesco Haardt
SIGRAV Council: Salvatore Capozziello, Sabino Matarrese, Pietro Fre’, Eugenio Coccia, Lorenzo Fatibene, Sergio Zerbini, Gaetano Vilasi, Luca Lusanna, Carlo Bradaschia, Luigi Stella, Valeria Ferrari, Augusto Sagnotti, Leopoldo Milano, Marco Bruni, Stefano Liberati