The universe and mathematical physics

Despite major scientific advances, many questions remain unanswered in our understanding of the world. We are bringing together different fields of knowledge and we link research teams with world-leading infrastructures. This opens new avenues to explore the universe and its fundamental laws.

Research in the area of the universe and mathematical physics at Uppsala University encompasses a broad spectrum of disciplines, such as mathematics, theoretical physics, high energy physics, nuclear physics, and observational and theoretical astrophysics.

Mathematics has always played a central role in our understanding of the world. The gauge theories of the 1970s initiated a new development where more parts of mathematics became closely linked to physics, with geometry and topology in particular playing an important role in this context. Meanwhile, astronomy research has made impressive progress and opened up new possibilities to explore the universe and refine theories in physics.

Despite this progress, many questions remain unanswered and constitute the core of the basic science today. For example, our current knowledge of elementary particles and fundamental interactions can still not fully explain important characteristics of the universe.

The area of strength in the universe and mathematical physics aims to further develop world-leading research groups at Uppsala University and link up with international research infrastructures in these areas.

Uppsala University has prominent roles in several world-leading infrastructures and in instrument development for these infrastructures, including:

• Institut Mittag-Leffler
• CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)
• ESO (European Southern Observatory)
• FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research)
• IceCube Neutrino Observatory