Introduction
The Early Universe Cosmology and Strings division of CASPER conducts research in a variety of gravitational physics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, high energy astrophysics, and mathematics areas. These include (i) quantum gravity effects in the early universe (often including joint research with GCAP), (ii) string theory and the string/M landscape, (iii) relativistic thermodynamics, (iv) curvature analysis of wormholes and other warped spacetimes, (v) the (dynamical) Casimir effect, (vi) advanced spacecraft propulsion, and (vii) cryptography, especially with connections to astrophysics.
Group Faculty Members
Professor of Physics
Professor of Mathematics
Professor of Mathematics
Sid Richardson 302F
Professor of Mathematics
Professor of Mathematics
Group Graduate Students
Patrick Brown (M.S. student, Air Force Institute of Technology),
Matthew Gorban,
William Julius,
Abinash Kar,
Cooper Watson
Graduate Students Alumni
Brandon Mattingly, Ph.D. (2020), Curvature Invariants of Traversable Wormholes.
Lesley Vestal, M.S. (2017), Encrypting the Universe.
Yanbin Deng, Ph.D. (2015), Reflections on General Relativity from Perspectives of Black Hole Physics and Horava-Lifshitz Gravity.
Douglas Moore, Ph.D. (2014), The Weakly Coupled Free Fermionic Heterotic String Gauge Landscape.
Jared Greenwald, Ph.D. (2013), Automated Systematic Generation and Exploration of Flat Direction Phenomenology in Free Fermionic Heterotic String Theory.
Timothy Renner, Ph.D. (2011), Initial Systematic Investigations of the Weakly Coupled Free Fermionic Heterotic String Landscape Statistics.
Kristen Pechan, M.S. (2010), Investigation of Low Higgs Models in Weakly Coupled Free Fermionic Heterotic String Theory.
Matthew Robinson, PH.D. (2009), Towards a Systematic Investigation of Weakly Coupled Free Fermionic Heterotic String Gauge Group Statistics.
Richard Obousy, PH.D. (2008), Investigations into Compactified Dimensions: Casimir Energies and Phenomenological Aspects.
Ben Dundee, M.S. (2006), Grand Unified Theories in Higher Dimensions.
John Perkins, PH.D. (2005), Aspects of String Phenomenology at the Self-Dual Radius.
Group Undergraduate Students
Brian Lewis
Cooper Pich
Undergraduate Alumni
Caleb Elmore
Drake Gates
Robert Gill
Brandon Mattingly
The head of EUCOS, Prof. Gerald B. Cleaver, earned his Ph.D. in early universe cosmology and string theory at Caltech in 1993, with John H. Schwarz his dissertation advisor. Cleaver has written over 100 peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings. He is co-author of an elementary particle physics textbook, author of six book chapters, is on the editorial board of four science journals, and referee for ten physics journals. Cleaver is the Editor of Heliyon Physics and Editor-in-Chief of the Field Theory Section of Universe. He also enjoys writing about philosophical implications of a multiverse. Cleaver is a consultant to the College Board/Educational Testing Service and is on the Board of Advisors for two start-up tech corporations, Rampart Communications LLC, and Space Initiatives Inc.
