Description:

Elucidating the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and dynamics of the early universe stand as major challenges of modern cosmology and particle physics. I will present a new program of addressing these challenges with galaxy surveys. This program builds on effective field theory (EFT) ideas borrowed from particle physics. The application of the EFT to large-scale structure allows for sub-percent precision analytic understanding of galaxy clustering on quasi-linear scales and provides an unmatched flexibility in testing new physics scenarios beyond the standard cosmological model. I will share some results of this program that include new measurements of fundamental cosmological parameters and novel constraints on dark energy, dark matter, and the physics of the early universe.

Mikhail Ivanov, Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Host: Adrian Thompson