Joseph Polchinski

UCSB String Group Page

Phys 230A, String Theory

Joe's Little Book of String (last update 2/8)

Address:

Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4030

E-mail:

joep@kitp.ucsb.edu

Phone:

Office: 805-893-3126
Fax: 805-893-2431
Home: 805-964-1557


Research Interests:  Primarily, to answer the question `What is String Theory?' More generally, particle physics and all applications of quantum field theory.  My main recent interests have centered around gauge/gravity duality as the fundamental principle underlying string theory.  This includes reduced models of black holes, the connection between bulk spacetime locality and the properties of the dual field theory, and attempts to identify the duals to realistic string vacua.  I have recently begun to work on AdS/condensed matter duality, both because of the interesting quantum field theory questions, and because it gives new perspectives on the duality itself.


Recent Teaching: Fall '07: Physics 221A, QFT
Spring '07: Physics 221C, QFT



Stanleyfest

On some criticisms of String Theory
My Online Talks
Recent Papers
Solvay lecture on the cosmological constant and the string landscape (3/06)

Review of AdS/CFT duality with Gary Horowitz (2/06)

Scientific American article with Raphael Bousso on the string landscape (9/04)
SLAC Summer Institute Lectures on Recent Developments in String Theory (12/98)
A Colloquium on String Duality (7/96)
TASI Lectures on D-Branes (11/96)
Joe's Big Book of String
Strings '96 Proceedings