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Theoretical High Energy Particle Physics Group

Research

PhD student in the High Energy Physics Group at DAMTP, working under the supervision of Professor Fernando Quevedo.

Main fields of interest: intersections of mathematics with theoretical physics. Higher categories, representation theory, and their application to SCFTs, homological mirror symmetry, and 3D mirror symmetry.

Newnham College member since 2019. 

Career

  • 2020-present PhD in Theoretical Physics at DAMTP, HEP Group
  • 2019-2020 MASt in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at DAMTP, University of Cambridge 
  • February 2017-September 2019 Visiting Researcher, member of the String Cosmology and Phenomenology Group at ICTP, Trieste 
  • September 2016 - July 2019 Master Degree in Theoretical Physics, University of Trieste, supervised by Professor Fernando Quevedo

  • September 2013 - July 2016 Bachelor Degree in Physics, University of Trieste  

Research experience                                              

  •  29th of June - 16th of July 2023 Visiting researcher at the Yau Center for Mathematical Sciences, Beijing, China, (for presenting [2306.12471] relating representation theory, higher categories and gauge theory). Local hosts: Professor Nicolai Reshetikhin and Professor Shing-Tung Yau.

  • 17th of April - 30th of April 2023 Visiting researcher at the Hodge Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK, for presenting and discussing a recently completed work on higher categorical structures and condensating homomorphisms from 6D ${\cal N}=(2,0)$ SCFTs. Local hosts: Professor David Jordan and Professor Tudor Dimofte.   

  • February 2017 - September 2019 Visiting researcher at ICTP in the String Phenomenology and Cosmology group. During this period I worked on my Master Thesis, supervised by Professor Fernando Quevedo.  

 

Publications and preprints 

       1. "Factorisation Homology for Class ${\cal S}$ Theories", V. Pasquarella, [2312.06760] Factorisation Homology for Class $\cal S$ Theories (arxiv.org)

       2. "Moore-Tachikawa Varieties: Beyond Duality", V. Pasquarella, published in JHAP (2023), [2310.01489] Moore-Tachikawa Varieties: Beyond Duality (arxiv.org)

       3. "Drinfeld Centers from Magnetic Quivers", V. Pasquarella, [2306.12471] Drinfeld Centers from Magnetic Quivers (arxiv.org)

     4. "Categorical Symmetries and Fiber Functors from Multiple Condensing Homomorphisms from 6D N=(2,0) SCFTs", V. Pasquarella[2305.18515] Categorical Symmetries and Fiber Functors from Multiple Condensing Homomorphisms from 6D SCFTs (arxiv.org)

     5. "Vacuum Transitions in Two-Dimensions and their Holographic Interpretation", V. Pasquarella and F. Quevedo[2211.07664] Vacuum Transitions in Two-Dimensions and their Holographic Interpretation (arxiv.org), J. High Energ. Phys. 2023, 192 (2023). 

           6.   "Quantum Transitions Between Minkowski and de Sitter Spacetimes", S. P. de Alwis, F. Muia, V. Pasquarella and F. Quevedo, September 2019, https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.01975, published in Fortschritte der Physik in 2020   

 

Talks and presentations (given/upcoming) at UK and international conferences and seminar series   

  • 23$^{rd}$ January 2024, Mathematical Physics Seminar, DAMTP, University of Cambridge, UK (blackboard talk on my currently ongoing research)       
  • 10$^{th}$ January 2024, fpuk Virtual Theory Centre Meeting, King's College London, (invited to give a talk on my recent findings and currently ongoing research)
  • 18$^{th}$ December 2023, Simons Collaboration on Global Categorical Symmetries Seminar series for Postdocs and PhD students, (online research talk)
  • 16$^{th}$-17$^{th}$ November 2023, Simons Collaboration on Global Categorical Symmetries Annual Meeting, The Flatiron Institute, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA. (poster presentation and discussion on latest findings)    
  • 12$^{th}$ September 2023, NHETC Seminar Series, Rutgers University, NJ, online talk
  • 28$^{th}$ August - 8$^{th}$ September 2023, Global Categorical Symmetries School and Workshop, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, gong show presentation of my currently ongoing research and future perspectives
  • 21$^{st}$-25$^{th}$ August 2023, Categorical Aspects of Symmetries, Stockholm, Sweden, poster presentation and discussion
  • 14$^{th}$-18$^{st}$ August 2023, Higher Structures in Functorial Field Theory, Regensburg, Germany, (talk presenting my currently ongoing research regarding the application of Category Theory and Representation Theory to Supersymmetric Gauge Theory).  
  • 31$^{st}$ July-4$^{th}$ August 2023, Simons Collaboration It from Qubit 2023, Perimeter Institute, Canada, (online poster presentation and discussion on part of my currently ongoing research regarding the application of lower-dimensional holographic duality, Category Theory and Representation Theory to defect SCFTs). 
  • 24$^{th}$-28$^{th}$ July 2023, Strings 2023, Perimeter Institute, Canada,  (online poster presentation and discussion on  [2305.18515] )
  • 17$^{th}$-21$^{st}$ July 2023, Symplectic Singularities and Supersymmetric QFT Workshop, LAMFA, Amiens, France, (poster presentation and discussion on my currently ongoing research regarding the application of Category Theory and Representation Theory to Supersymmetric Gauge Theory).  
  • 10$^{th}$-14$^{th}$ July 2023, Geometric Representation Theory Workshop, Yau Center for Mathematical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, (research talk, poster presentation and discussion on my currently ongoing research regarding the application of Category Theory and Representation Theory to Supersymmetric Gauge Theory).  
  • 27$^{th}$April 2023, STAMP Seminar, University of Edinburgh, UK, (blackboard talk on my currently ongoing research regarding the application of Category Theory and Representation Theory to Gauge Theory). 
  • 26$^{th}$January 2023, 2$^{nd}$ International Conference on Holography and its Applications, Iran, online (talk given on arXiv:2211.07664 [hep-th]). 
  • 29$^{th}$November 2022, Liverpool Strings and BTSM Seminar, online (talk given on arXiv:2211.07664 [hep-th]). 
  • 17$^{th}$-18$^{th}$November 2022, Simons Collaboration on Global Categorical Symmetries Annual Meeting, The Flatiron Institute, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA. (poster presentation and discussion on latest findings) 
  • 7$^{th}$November 2022, Journal Club on Generalised Global Symmetries, DAMTP, UK. (talk given, reviewing examples of non-invertible symmetries in holography, mainly based on Aharony, Seiberg, Tachikawa and Sakura Shafer-Nameki et al.)
  • 13$^{th}$September 2022, III HOLAGRAV Siembra YFM, online conference. (talk given)
  • 31$^{st}$August-2$^{nd}$September 2022, fpuk meeting, Swansea, UK. (gong show, poster presentation and discussion)
  • 18$^{th}$-22$^{nd}$July 2022, Strings 2022, Vienna, AT. (poster presentation and discussion)
  • 5$^{th}$July 2022, String Pheno 2022, Liverpool, UK. (talk given)
  • 27$^{th}$May 2022, 2$^{nd}$ year PhD talks, DAMTP, UK. (talk given)
  • 7$^{th}$April 2022 Journal Club on Large-N Hilbert spaces, DAMTP, UK. (talk given, reviewing recent papers by Edward Witten)

Teaching

  • Michaelmas Term 2023: 

     QFT examples classes instructor (Part III)  

     Principles of QM superv. (Part II Maths)  

     Cosmology superv. (Part II Maths)

     QM superv. (Part IB Maths) 

     Mathematical Methods I superv. (Part IB Nat. Sc.)  

 

  • Lent Term 2024:  

     AQFT examples classes instructor (Part III)   

    Complex Methods superv. (Part IB Maths) 

    Complex Analysis superv. (Part IB Maths)

     Mathematical Methods II superv. (Part IB Nat. Sc.)

     Dynamics and Relativity superv. (Part IA Maths)  

 

  • Easter Term 2024: 

     Mathematical Methods III superv. (Part IB Nat. Sc.)  

 

Outreach activity 

  • Cambridge Higher Aspirations Schemes (CHAS) 2024, Gonville and Caius College; Mathematical Tripos supervisor, University of Cambridge 

 

Complementary activities

  • Drop-in sessions for QFT and AQFT in Michaelmas and Lent term

 

Supportive activity

  • Notetaker for students with special learning disabilities (for Part IA Mathematical Tripos throughout Michaelmas 2023 and Lent 2024)

 

 

 

Research Group

High Energy Physics

Room

B0.40