Seth Koren

Seth Koren

they/them

Postdoctoral Researcher

University of Notre Dame

I’m a theoretical physicist focused on understanding what exists Beyond the Standard Models of particle physics and cosmology by working at the junction of high energy theory and the real world. I have broad interests across many aspects of particle physics, field theory, and cosmology, and I enjoy collaborating, mentoring, and other forms of talking about physics.

I’m proud of my dissertation, which begins with an extensive introduction aiming to pedagogically explain renormalization and the hierarchy problem. I place considerable focus on clearing conceptual pitfalls and on debunking common misconsceptions, and I’ve been flattered to hear that it is a useful resource for the community. My thesis also received the APS 2022 Sakurai Dissertation Award in Theoretical Particle Physics.

Recently I was honored to deliver the UChicago Enrico Fermi Institute’s 91st Compton Lectures, a series of lectures each Saturday for the general public over eight weeks in Spring 2023. I presented a wide-ranging course with the title “Particles, the Cosmos, and You: An Origin Story from the Edges of Space and Time” aimed at presenting our well-understood, empirical answers to age-old questions like “What are we made of?” and “Where did we come from?” through the lens of fundamental particle physics and cosmology. The first lecture is available on YouTube.