Relativity & Gravitation Group
The Relativity & Gravitation Group is part of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, which in turn is part of the Faculty of Mathematics of the University of Cambridge. The group was founded by Dennis Sciama in 1961, and is currently headed by Professor Stephen Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS.
It is internationally renowned for a number of important developments in Einstein's classical theory of gravitation, including the no hair and area theorems for black holes and the theorems indicating that singularities would occur both in gravitational collapse and at the beginning of the expansion of the Universe.
In recent years the group's main effort has been towards the inclusion of quantum effects, and the development of a theory of quantum gravity; in particular, the semi-classical quantization of black holes (leading, e.g, to the discovery of the thermal radiation produced by them) and the formulation of the Euclidean path integral approach to quantum gravity (leading to the no boundary condition for the Universe).
Furthermore, the group has expertise in the areas of supergravity, string and membrane theories of gravity, cosmology, cosmic strings and other topological defects in cosmology, numerical relativity and Regge calculus.
In addition, the group houses and operates COSMOS, the UK national cosmology supercomputer.
Please feel free to browse our public pages, which attempt to describe our work in non-technical terms.
Contact details:
Department of Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics
Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Wilberforce Road
Cambridge, CB3 0WA
Telephone and Fax
Telephone: +44 1223 764 267
Fax: +44 1223 764 984
Location
Since 2000, we have been housed in The Märit and Hans Rausing Pavilion (Pavilion B) of the Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
- News & Events
15/10/2009
Junior Research Fellowship in Theoretical Physics position is now open at King's College. The closing date for applications is Friday 20 November 2009. Short-listed candidates must be available for interview on Friday 19 February 2010.
01/10/2009
Presentations (in PDF and MOV formats) from the recent Primordial Gravitational Waves Workshop are now available from the workshop's Programme page. Also some photos can be found there.
12/11/2008
New positions available - Stephen Hawking Advanced Fellowships and Postdoctoral Fellowships. For details see the Positions Vacant page. Closing date was: Friday, 12 December 2008.
01/08/2008
Non-Gaussianity from Fundamental Physics Workshop.
8-10th September 2008, Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
01/11/2007
The Very Early Universe - 25 Years On. 17-20 December 2007, Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Presentations available from the Programme page.
(Note. Some of the presentations are rather large. Some of them are not presented correctly, due to the format differences between Windows and Mac versions of PowerPoint. PDF alternatives are provided, where it was possible.)