College position(s)
Fellow
Subject
Natural Sciences (Physical and Biological)
Specialising in
Rosamund Chambers Research Fellow in Astrophysics
Dr William E. V. Barker
Degrees, Awards and Prizes
Ph.D. (Cantab 2022), MSci (Cantab 2017) BA (Cantab 2017).
Research themes
I am a theoretical physicist working on the classical and quantum foundations of gravity, with applications in cosmology and astrophysics. Gravity is more enigmatic than the other fundamental forces in nature (namely the strong and weak nuclear forces, and electromagnetism). In particular, we don't have a complete quantum gravity theory. The classical theory is Einstein's general theory of relativity, which describes the gravitational force as curved spacetime.
My interests include classical alternatives to Einstein's formulation, and their quantum mechanical ramifications. I have a special interest in persuading computers (particularly supercomputers) to perform the algebraic and symbolic computations required to understand these alternative theories. Other interests include more exotic properties of spacetime geometry (i.e. beyond curvature) and lattice approaches to quantum gravity.
Responsibilities
Most of my teaching time is devoted to the Ph.D. and Master's students in my group.
Other
To the undergraduates, I am a College Lecturer in Astrophysics, and these days I mostly teach optics, quantum mechanics and condensed matter physics to second-year physicists. In the past, I also taught relativity to third-years, relativistic astrophysics and cosmology to fourth-years, and maths to first-years.