Conceptual challenges for modern physics include on one hand the unification of all forces of Nature at a quantum level, and on the other hand to understanding of the origin and early evolution of the Universe. Superstring theory is a promising avenue to address both questions at the same time. I will show how, starting from a non-perturbative definition of superstring theory one can obtain an emergent spacetime and early universe cosmology, with specific predictions for upcoming observations.
Professor Brandenberger is a theoretical cosmologist who has made pioneering contributions to a broad range of topics in theoretical cosmology, in particular inflationary universe and superstring cosmology. After obtaining his undergraduate degree at the ETH Zurich in Switzerland he completed a PhD at Harvard University. After postdoctoral stages at the ITP in Santa Barbara and in the group of Stephen Hawking in Cambridge he took up a faculty position at Brown University, before moving to McGill University in 2004 where he was a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair from 2004 - 2025. He is Fellow of CAP and of the Royal Society of Canada, and winner of the 2011 CAP/CRM Prize for Mathematical Physics. He lectures extensively at international conferences and summer / winter schools.