Colloquium

Solving the Quark-Gluon Many Body Problem using Lattice QCD

John Negele
MIT
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Higgins 310, 4 pm

Understanding how the simple interaction between quarks and gluons gives rise to the rich and complex structure of the protons, neutrons, and other strongly interacting particles that make up most of the mass of the visible universe is one of the great theoretical challenges of our time.  This colloquium will provide an elementary introduction to quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and lattice field theory, and show how recent developments in lattice field theory and computer technology are now enabling us to understand basic building blocks of matter from first principles.