Decoding the Universe: Quantum Gravity and Quantum Fields

Coordinator: Prof. Vishnu Jejjala (University of the Witwatersrand)

Scientific Question and Goal

What are the quantum foundations of spacetime and matter?

Progress means controlled calculations of geometry and quantum fields, with predictions that experiments can test.

Institutions

• Nelson Mandela University
• University of Cape Town
• University of Johannesburg
• University of Pretoria
• University of the Witwatersrand

Workpackage focus areas

Black holes and holography
Quantum black holes and gravity from computational and lattice simulations
Quantum gravity in the lab
Holographic complexity
Large-N gauge theories and holography
Holography and applied string theory7. Exact results in quantum field theory
Towards real world gauge theory
Automated discovery in theoretical and mathematical physics
Theoretical High-Energy Nuclear-, Astro-, and Particle Physics

Some recent publications

• Van der Schee, W., Kolbé, I., Nijs, G., Ruhani, K., Ahmed, I. & Iqbal, S. Three Predictions for Partonic Energy Loss from Light to Heavy Ion Collisions. Physical Review Letters 137, 132302 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1103/dzzp-3vhf
• Faraday, C., Bert, B., Brand, J., Vogelsang, W. & Horowitz, W.A. From lead to helium: Potential for a measurement of jet quenching in the smallest collision systems. Physical Review Letters (accepted) https://doi.org/10.1103/ykmp-fy57
• Bergland, P., Hübsch, T., Jejjala, V., Mirjanić, V. & Mishra, C. Balanced Metrics Know About SYZ. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2607.25733
• Nkojoana, K. & Joseph, A. Configurational Temperature in the 3D XY Model. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2608.16677

Members

UCT: Shajid Haque, Will Horowitz, Jeff Murugan, Hendryk van Zyl, Amanda Weltman; UJ: Alan Cornell, Garry Kemp; NMU: Azwinndini Muronga; Pretoria: Konstantinos Zoubos; Wits: Pallab Basu, Kevin Goldstein, Vishnu Jejjala, Anosh Joseph, Isobel Kolbé, João Rodrigues, Sam van Leuven