Research Specialization

Quantum gravity; Quantum black holes; Quantum cosmology; Fine structure of spacetime; Emergent spacetime and gravity; Nonperturbative quantization of gauge systems; Algebraic quantum gravity.

My research focuses on quantum gravity, particularly on understanding the fine structure of spacetime, and deciphering the mysteries of quantum black holes. A fundamental question in this field is whether quantum gravity is obtained by a certain quantization of classical gravity (top-down approaches), or gravity/spacetime is emergent from the collective behavior of more fundamental entities underlying the classical spacetime (bottom-up approaches). Since we do not have a definitive answer to this question yet, I work on models from both approaches to obtain crucial information about the final form of the full theory of quantum gravity. In the top-down approaches, I am interested in models that employ non-perturbative or algebraic quantization methods, where the concept of background independence plays a central role. In the bottom-up approaches, my interest lies in models where the underlying structure of the classical spacetime consists of pure information, and emergence happens via an information-theoretic process. My other field of work is quantum black holes. In this line of research, I am particularly interested in the dynamics of the interior of black holes, their singularity resolution, and related issues and paradoxes. Furthermore, I study the interaction of quantum black holes with matter, in order to derive quantum gravity-related signatures that can be observed by current experiments such as the Event Horizon Telescope. These signatures will yield crucial clues about the nature of spacetime, and will lead us towards the correct full theory of quantum gravity.

Research Areas

Research Types