Lecture Series in String Phenomenology

Organiser: Lucas Leung (me!)

Wednesdays 1000-1100 in TBC, Weeks 1-8 HT 2026

String phenomenology is a well-established field - its main goal is to connect string theory with low-energy phenomena and address observational constraints of string-derived models. Since string theory is (for now) the only consistent QG theory, addressing how string theory connects with particle physics and cosmology allows us to understand how different low-energy observables are related non-trivially and therefore must be addressed simultaneously.

In this lecture series, I am going to account the achievements and challenges of string phenomenology over the past few decades - from its inception of using Calabi-Yau manifolds to derive compactification models, to the current frontiers of research, including string cosmology, swampland conjectures (where most arguments are heavily based on string theory) and machine-learning applications. The lectures are going to be one-hour long and aim to address the basic ideas in each of the topics rather than providing a full account (which is impossible) of the field.

Provisional Schedule

Week 1 - Introduction to String Phenomenology - Superstring theory, D-branes and Calabi-Yau compactifications

Week 2 - Heterotic models - Heterotic \(E_8 \times E_8\)models, toroidal compactifications, M-theory and Hořava-Witten theory, \(G_2\)-compactifications

Week 3 - D-brane compactifications and Dualities - Type IIB orientifold models and Type IIA brane scenarios, Mirror symmetry, period structures and enumerative geometry

Week 4 - F-theory and Geometry - Introduction to F-theory and F-theory models (dictionary), Geometrical engineering in string theory

Week 5 - Moduli stabilisation in string theory - Flux compactifications, the KKLT scenario and other scenarios Type IIB and heterotic theories

Week 6 - String cosmology - Inflation scenarios in string theory, post-inflationary dynamics and dark energies

Week 7 - Swampland conjectures - Generalities of QG, the Distance Conjecture, Weak Gravity Conjecture, Emergence in string theory and dS conjecture

Week 8 - Machine learning techniques in string theory - Introduction to ML, neural networks, GA and RL, ML4Maths and ML4Physics examples in string theory and recent achievements, challenges in the future

Materials

There will be a set of lecture notes provided!