Undergraduate Workshop in Supersymmetry

Pepperdine University, Malibu CA

Investigators

Abstract

The PIMS-NSF Undergraduate Workshop in Supersymmetry will be held August 15-19, 2016 at the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) at the University of British Columbia, Canada. This award is co-funded by the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and provides support for US-based participants. The workshop combines lectures on the mathematics of supersymmetry, emphasizing graph theory and algebraic structures, with problem-solving sessions. By introducing students to this thriving area of research outside the standard curriculum, the workshop will have direct impact on undergraduate education. The speakers and problem session leaders will develop a community of mathematicians interested in research in supersymmetry and they will use this experience to enhance the research programs at their home institutions. In physics, supersymmetry is a pairing between bosons and fermions appearing in theories of subatomic particles. One may study supersymmetry mathematically by using adinkra symbols, which are graphs with vertices representing the particles in a supersymmetric theory and edges corresponding to the supersymmetry pairings. The study of adinkra symbols highlights deep connections between algebraic, combinatorial, and physical structures. The workshop presents a unique opportunity to introduce students to this topic and encourage them to pursue further research at the boundary of mathematics and physics. Moreover, the workshop will encourage new connections between US and Canadian students and researchers. For more information about the workshop, visit http://people.uwec.edu/whitchua/supersymmetry/.