Gravity from strings and strings from gravity (The Oskar Klein Memorial Lecture 2026)
by
Oskar Klein Auditorium
In the first part of the talk I shall describe how string theory leads us to a consistent quantum theory of gravity. In the second part I shall describe how the presence of string landscape has prevented us from making a definite testable prediction until now, but how the same landscape allows us to address outstanding puzzles involving quantum theory of black holes. In the third part I shall describe how the study of some properties of black holes leads to the conclusion that string theory is not only capable of explaining those properties, but may also be necessary for explaining those properties.
About the speaker:
Ashoke Sen is an Indian theoretical physicist renowned for transformative contributions to string theory. His work has been instrumental in uncovering the unifying structure underlying different formulations of string theory and in advancing our understanding of fundamental interactions. Widely regarded as one of the architects of modern string theory, he has shaped the development of the field through a series of influential theoretical breakthroughs, including work recognized by the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for helping establish the idea that all string theories represent different limits of a single underlying theory.
Ashoke Sen is an ICTS-Infosys Madhava Chair Professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), Bangalore and has previouslyheld distinguished positions at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Prayagraj, the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) India, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS).
More information about Prof. Sen's reseach and teaching can be found at https://home.icts.res.in/~sen/