The center will be located in the Davey Lab on the University Park, Pa., campus with Ashtekar as its first director. He says an important component of the center will be a strong interdisciplinary approach to research in theoretical physics.
"Theoretical research has now become advanced enough so that a physicist needs advanced techniques from mathematicians and astronomers and vice versa," he says. "We will be breaking all barriers between disciplines."
In its initial stages, Ashtekar says, the center will be staffed primarily by members of the physics department. However, he says, as the center becomes more established, numerous members from both the mathematics and astronomy departments will be invited to become involved. At present, the center is slated to accommodate two full professors, two assistant professors, and 10 postdoctoral researchers.
"My ideology for the center has three prongs," Ashtekar explains. "First, it should be very strong in basic ...
