Back up mandate Research Council (Camille Eloy): Dualities and higher-derivative corrections in M theory

String theory is one of the promising candidates for the unification of fundamental forces and the description of quantum gravity. It is based on a complete paradigm shift, exchanging the notion of point particle for a one-dimensional object: a string. This leads to an
innovative framework, well suited to investigate areas of physics such as cosmology and black holes.

String theory can be defined in different forms, all linked together by hidden symmetries called dualities. These different options are in fact different facets of a single theory, dubbed M theory, whose exact nature is still unclear. In the point-like limit, where the "stringy" corrections are weak, it is described by general relativity together
with supersymmetry and corrections in the form of higher-derivative couplings. These corrections, essential for the prediction of new physics and for experimental tests, remain mostly unknown today.

In this project, I will study the interplay between higher-derivative corrections and duality symmetries. I will combine new complementary approaches to understand how these corrections affect the dualities, and in turn construct a framework that captures the effects of the modified dualities to constrain the form of the corrections. The knowledge of these corrections will improve our understanding of M theory and its applications.