Dr Costis PapageorgakisHead of Physics and Astronomy | Reader in Theoretical Physics | Academic Lead for Employability and Graduate OpportunitiesEmail: c.papageorgakis@qmul.ac.ukTelephone: 020 7882 5806Room Number: G. O. Jones Building, Room 608ProfileTeachingResearchPublicationsSupervisionProfileI am a Reader in Theoretical Physics at the Centre for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy. My work has focussed on various aspects of supersymmetric/superconformal field theories and their relation to String/M-theory. I hold an undergraduate diploma from the University of Patras (Greece), an MSc from Durham University and a PhD from Queen Mary University of London. I have previously held postdoctoral positions at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (India), King's College London and Rutgers University (USA). TeachingI currently teach the undergraduate course "Quantum Mechanics and Symmetry" over the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. I am a Fellow of Advance HE.ResearchResearch Interests:My current research focuses on the application of modern Machine Learning techniques to a diverse set of problems in theoretical and mathematical physics. In the recent past I have investigated various aspects of superconformal field theories in multiple dimensions. A broad toolkit of approaches and techniques can be used to that effect, including the conformal bootstrap, the study of anomalies, superconformal indices and exact methods such as supersymmetric localisation. I have also researched the dynamics of solitons undergoing acceleration. Older research involved the study of D-brane and M-brane dynamics, in string and M-theory respectively, as well as the structure of their associated supersymmetric/superconformal gauge theories. I have worked towards understanding multiple M2-branes in terms of superconformal Chern-Simons-matter theory in three dimensions, and multiple M5-branes through the superconformal (2,0) theory in six dimensions.Examples of research funding: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship (UKRI GF): “Holography and Quantum Black Holes”, C. Papageorgakis (PI), M. Hosseini (PDRA) 2024-2026 (£200,512) STFC Consolidated Grant: "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality", A Brandhuber (PI), D Berman, M Buican, R Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, M Perry, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, B Spence, G Travaglini, D Vegh, C Wen, C White 2023-2026 (£1,477,965) STFC Consolidated Grant, "Amplitudes, Strings and Duality", A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, M Buican, MB Green, R Monteiro, C Papageorgakis, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, W Spence, G Travaglini, D Vegh and C White 2020-2023 (£890,210) Royal Society Research Fellows Enhancement Awards 2018-2021 (£202,394) Royal Society University Research Fellowship Renewal 2018-2021 (£372,630) Royal Society Research Fellows Enhancement Awards 2017-2021 (£96,838) STFC Consolidated Grant, String Theory, Gauge Theory and Duality, A Brandhuber (PI), DS Berman, C Papageorgakis, S Ramgoolam, R Russo, M Shigemori, G Travaglini and C White 2017-2020 (£693,833) Royal Society University Research Fellowship 2013 - 2018 (£451,098) Publications(A complete and up to date list of publications with an accurate citation count can also be found at this link) Papageorgakis C, Niarchos V (2024). Learning S-matrix phases with neural operators. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.110.045020 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/98713 Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C, Richmond P et al. (2023). Bootstrability in line-defect CFTs with improved truncation methods. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.108.105027 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/92671 Kántor G, Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C et al. (2023). 6D (2,0) bootstrap with the soft-actor-critic algorithm. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.107.025005 QMRO: https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/84509 Andriolo E, Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C et al. (2023). Covariantly Constant Anomalies on Conformal Manifolds. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.107.025006 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/83843 Andriolo E, Lambert N, Orchard T et al. (publicationYear). A path integral for the chiral-form partition function. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/jhep04(2022)115 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/78093 Kántor G, Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C (2022). Conformal bootstrap with reinforcement learning. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.105.025018 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/75663 Kántor G, Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C (2022). Solving Conformal Field Theories with Artificial Intelligence. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.041601 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/75343 Agarwal P, Andriolo E, Kántor G et al. (2021). Macdonald indices for four-dimensional N=3 theories. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.103.L121701 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/71898 Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C, Pini A et al. (2021). (Mis-)matching type-B anomalies on the Higgs branch. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP01(2021)106 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/69236 Melnikov IV, Papageorgakis C, Royston AB (2020). Accelerating solitons. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.102.125002 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/67302 Melnikov IV, Papageorgakis C, Royston AB (2020). Forced Soliton Equation and Semiclassical Soliton Form Factors. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.231601 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/67999 Andriolo E, Lambert N, Papageorgakis C (2020). Geometrical aspects of an Abelian (2,0) action. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP04(2020)200 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/63966 Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C, Pomoni E (2020). Type-B anomaly matching and the 6D (2,0) theory. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP04(2020)048 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/63538 Kántor G, Papageorgakis C, Richmond P (2020). AdS7 black-hole entropy and 5D N = 2 Yang-Mills. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP01(2020)017 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/62098 Hayling J, Niarchos V, Papageorgakis C (2019). Deconstructing defects. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP02(2019)067 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/55443 Hayling J, Panerai R, Papageorgakis C (2018). Deconstructing little strings with N = 1 gauge theories on ellipsoids. nameOfConference DOI: 10.21468/SciPostPhys.4.6.042 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/42005 Hayling J, Papageorgakis C, Pomoni E et al. (2017). Exact deconstruction of the 6D (2,0) theory. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP06(2017)072 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/24775 Buican M, Hayling J, Papageorgakis C (2016). Aspects of superconformal multiplets in D > 4. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP11(2016)091 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/18192 Papageorgakis C, Pini A, Rodríguez-Gómez D (2016). Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit of the 5D superconformal index. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.94.045007 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/15427 Lambert N, Papageorgakis C, Schmidt-Sommerfeld M (2015). Instanton operators in five-dimensional gauge theories. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP03(2015)019 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/10804 Buican M, Giacomelli S, Nishinaka T et al. (2015). Argyres-Douglas theories and S-duality. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP02(2015)185 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8516 Buican M, Nishinaka T, Papageorgakis C (2014). Constraints on chiral operators in N=2 SCFTs. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP12(2014)095 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/7541 Papageorgakis C, Royston AB (2014). Instanton-soliton loops in 5D super-Yang-Mills. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1090/pspum/088/01467 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/54208 Papageorgakis C, Royston AB (2014). Revisiting soliton contributions to perturbative amplitudes. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP09(2014)128 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/10802 Papageorgakis C, Royston AB (2014). Scalar soliton quantization with generic moduli. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP06(2014)003 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/10803 Lambert N, Papageorgakis C, Schmidt-Sommerfeld M (2013). Deconstructing (2,0) proposals. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.88.026007 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/9714 Bagger J, Lambert N, Mukhi S et al. (2013). Multiple membranes in M-theory. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1016/j.physrep.2013.01.006 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/9718 Lambert N, Nastase H, Papageorgakis C (2012). 5D Yang-Mills instantons from Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena monopoles. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.85.066002 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49400 Nastase H, Papageorgakis C (2011). Dimensional reduction of the ABJM model. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP03(2011)094 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49395 Chu X, Nastase H, Nilsson BEW et al. (2011). Higgsing M2 to D2 with gravity: N = 6 chiral supergravity from topologically gauged ABJM theory. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP04(2011)040 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49393 Lambert N, Papageorgakis C, Schmidt-Sommerfeld M (2011). M5-Branes, D4-Branes and quantum 5D super-Yang-Mills. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP01(2011)083 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49394 Papageorgakis C, Sämann C (2011). The 3-Lie algebra (2,0) tensor multiplet and equations of motion on loop space. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP05(2011)099 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49399 Lambert N, Papageorgakis C (2010). Relating U(N) × U(N) to SU(N) × SU(N) Chern-Simons membrane theories. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP04(2010)104 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49391 Nastase H (2010). Bifundamental Fuzzy 2-Sphere and Fuzzy Killing Spinors. nameOfConference DOI: 10.3842/sigma.2010.058 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49390 Lambert N, Papageorgakis C (2010). Nonabelian (2,0) tensor multiplets and 3-algebras. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1007/JHEP08(2010)083 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49392 Nastase H, Papageorgakis C (2009). Fuzzy killing spinors and supersymmetric d4 action on the fuzzy 2-sphere from the ABJM model. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2009/12/049 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49389 Nastase H, Papageorgakis C, Ramgoolam S (2009). The fuzzy S 2 structure of M2-M5 systems in ABJM membrane theories. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2009/05/123 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48784 Ezhuthachan B, Mukhi S, Papageorgakis C (2009). The power of the Higgs mechanism: Higher-derivative BLG theories. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2009/04/101 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49388 Ezhuthachan B, Mukhi S, Papageorgakis C (2008). D2 to D2. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2008/07/041 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49387 Bedford J, Papageorgakis C, Zoubos K (2008). Adding flavour to twistor strings. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/110/10/102001 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49383 Distler J, Mukhi S, Papageorgakis C et al. (2008). M2-branes on M-folds. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2008/05/038 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49385 Bedford J, Papageorgakis C, Zoubos K (2008). Adding flavour to twistor strings. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/110/0/102001 QMRO: qmroHref Mukhi S, Papageorgakis C (2008). M2 to D2. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2008/05/085 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/49384 Bedford J, Papageorgakis C, Zoubos K (2007). Twistor strings with flavour. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2007/11/088 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48864 Bedford J, Papageorgakis C, Rodríguez-Gómez D et al. (2007). Big bang and big crunch in matrix string theory. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.75.085014 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48843 Papageorgakis C, Ramgoolam S (2006). On time-dependent collapsing branes and fuzzy odd-dimensional spheres. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1142/S0217751X06034161 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48804 PAPAGEORGAKIS C (2006). On matrix D-brane dynamics and fuzzy spheres. nameOfConference DOI: doi QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/10795 McNamara S, Papageorgakis C, Ramgoolam S et al. (2006). Finite N effects on the collapse of fuzzy spheres. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2006/05/060 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/15714 Papageorgakis C, Ramgoolam S, Toumbas N (2006). Noncommutative geometry, quantum effects and DBI-scaling in the collapse of D0-D2 bound states. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1088/1126-6708/2006/01/030 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48824 Papageorgakis C, Ramgoolam S (2005). Large-small dualities between periodic collapsing/expanding branes and brane funnels. nameOfConference DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2005.09.044 QMRO: https://uat2-qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/48764 SupervisionPhD students: Alexander Stapleton (jointly with Prof. David Berman-PhD expected 2026) Mitchell Woolley (PhD expected 2026) L. Sidney Baines (jointly with Dr Ulla Blumenschein-PhD expected 2025) Enrico Andriolo (PhD 2023) Gergely Kántor (PhD 2022) Joseph Hayling (PhD 2019) I am also interested in taking on new students for the following project: Project Title Conformal Field Theories and Artificial Intelligence Conformal Field Theories are mathematical descriptions of natural phenomena that look the same at all length scales. They find fundamental applications over a large spectrum of topics ranging from condensed-matter physics, particle physics, string theory and quantum gravity. They are, however, incredibly hard to solve with the exception of a handful of examples. This project aims to exploit the tremendous recent progress in Artificial Intelligence to solve arbitrary conformal field theories. This will be achieved by utilising machine-learning techniques similar to those used by Google’s DeepMind Technologies when building the AlphaGo programme, which spectacularly beat professional Go champions. Requirements: A very good grasp of graduate Quantum Field Theory and supersymmetry, as well as some basic conformal field theory and string theory. Coding experience is desirable.