Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis

Mathematical Physics

Welcome to the home page of the research group in Mathematical Physics at Aalto University. Our group conducts research in constructive quantum field theories, conformal field theory, random geometry and fractals.

Open positions

Summer Interns in Mathematics, Operations Research, and Statistics

Members

Faculty

Random geometry and conformal field theory

Algebra and geometry of supersymmetric gauge theories

Oscar Kivinen

Full list of members

News

Väisälä Prize awarded to Eveliina Peltola in December 2024
Väisälä Project Grant has been granted to Oscar Kivinen in June 2024
Oscar Kivinen has joined the faculty in fall 2023
Eveliina Peltola has received an ERC starting grant "Interplay of structures in conformal and universal random geometry" ISCoURaGe (2023-2028)
Tuomas Sahlsten has been appointed as an Academy Research Fellow (Academy of Finland), 2022-2027 [Tuomas moved to the University of Helsinki as an Associate Professor in September 2023]
Kalle Kytölä and Eveliina Peltola are members of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Randomness and Structures (FiRST), 2022-2029
Eveliina Peltola has been appointed as an Academy Research Fellow (Academy of Finland), 2021-2025

Prospective students

Research

We provide Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral theses topics at the interface between mathematics and physics. Possible research topics include, but are not limited to, constructive quantum field theories, conformal field theory, random geometry, supersymmetric gauge theories and fractals. If you are interested in one of our research topics, please feel free to contact Kalle Kytölä, Eveliina Peltola, or Oscar Kivinen.

We also provide Summer Internships for outstanding students. These are advertised in the department's website.

Teaching

You are also welcome to take part in any of our lecture courses related to mathematical physics.

Recent publications

Individual publication records can be found on the Aalto research page, where you can also find an overview of research output for the Mathematical Physics area. For preprints check the math arxiv and individual homepages.

Scientific events

Upcoming

Trimester Program Probabilistic methods in quantum field theory @ HIM, Bonn, May-Aug 2025.

List of past events

Mathematical Physics Seminar

Upcoming seminars

5.5. 10:15 Mikail Muftuoglu (Aalto University): Self-contragrediency of staggered modules over the Virasoro algebra (Master thesis presentation) – M237
Staggered modules over the Virasoro algebra appear in Logarithmic CFTs. It has been suggested that for such modules to appear in physical models, they should be isomorphic to their contragredient dual (i.e. self-contragredient). In this talk, starting from basic definitions and results, my goal is to discuss characterizations of self-contragredient staggered modules. These characterizations have direct analogues in the highest weight modules setting, which I will discuss in parallel to staggered modules. If time permits, I also aim to present some universal staggered modules that are analogues of Verma and irreducible highest weight modules in the staggered modules setting.
9.6. 10:15 Rongvoram Nivesvivat (New York University Abu Dhabi): Bulk two-point functions in loop models – M3 (M234)
Using techniques in conformal bootstrap, we propose analytical expressions for a large class of two-point functions of bulk fields in critical loop models defined on the upper-half plane. Our results include the two-point connectivities in the Fortuin--Kasteleyn random cluster model with both free and wired boundary conditions (BC). To establish the link between the lattice and continuum versions of these models, we compute universal ratios of amplitudes for the two-point connectivities and find excellent agreement with transfer-matrix computations in the lattice model.