Project Grant 2310608

The National Science Foundation awarded a $120,000 Project Grant under its Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to The Research Foundation For The State University Of New York, operating as State University College, a non-profit organization. This funding supports research activities led by Professor Matthew Lippert at SUNY Old Westbury over the 3-year period from August 2023 to July 2026.

The research funded by this grant uses string theory models and gauge/gravity duality to investigate open questions in strongly coupled quantum field theories, with applications in nuclear physics, astrophysics, and condensed matter physics. Specific areas of focus include the physics of strongly interacting fermions and the quantum Hall effect, the behavior of dense nuclear matter in neutron stars, and the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of quantum systems. This work is expected to yield insights that advance understanding across these interdisciplinary fields of physics. Additionally, the grant will provide undergraduate research opportunities at the diverse, minority-serving SUNY Old Westbury institution, enabling students from underrepresented groups to gain hands-on research experience.