John Iliopoulos - From Many Models to ONE THEORY

This talk was given as a part of Plectics Labs Perspectives In Theoretical Physics Series.
Speaker: John Iliopoulos
Affiliations: CNRS (Emeritus), ENS-PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité
Date: July 28, 2024
Title: From Many Models to ONE THEORY
Abstract:
The year 2024 marks the fiftieth anniversary of a phase transition in our perception of Fundamental Physics. From phenomenological models and specific theories, each one applied to a restricted set of experimental data, we had to think in terms of a fundamental theory of universal validity. This revolution had a theoretical, rather an aesthetic motivation. It was a triumph of abstract theoretical thought which brought geometry into physics. For most of us this transition was a revelation, for some others it was a painful experience. In this talk I will attempt to narrate a part of this story, although I do not consider myself to be an unbiased observer.