Introduction to String Theory - 2020/21

This course is an introduction to string theory, our foremost theory of quantum gravity. The course will cover bosonic string theory, in particular:

- Classical bosonic string theory
- Light-cone quantisation
- Introduction to conformal field theory
- Path Integral quantisation
- String interactions
- Low-energy effective actions

The lectures will largely follow the online lecture notes on String Theory by David Tong (http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/string/string.pdf).

Requirements: Master's courses in GR & QFT, at least in parallel with this course.

Lecture schedule: The first lecture will take place on Friday, November 6th, 9-11am. The first tutorial will take place on Monday, November 9th, 9-11am. Subsequently, lectures will take place

• every Wednesday 9am-11am
  

• on alternating Mondays 9am-11am (i.e. November 16th, November 30th, etc.)

Tutorials will take place

• on alternating Mondays 9am-11am (i.e. November 9th, November 23rd, etc.).