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Subir Sarkar

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Emeritus professor, University of Oxford

I graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (1969-74) and received my PhD (1982) at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, where I was staff member (1979-84). Subsequently I held visiting positions at CERN, Oxford Astrophysics and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and worked in science education for the NGO Eklavya in Bhopal. Since 1990 I have been at the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, Oxford where I was appointed University Lecturer in 1998 and Professor in 2006. I was Head of the Particle Theory Group (2011-19) and Niels Bohr Professor at Copenhagen University (2013-18). I am Emeritus Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford.

My interests lie at the interface of fundamental physics with astrophysics and cosmology: big bang nucleosynthesis, dark matter, dark energy, inflation & the cosmic microwave background, relic topological defects, weak interactions & neutrinos etc. I also work on high energy cosmic rays, gamma-rays & neutrinos, and belong to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Cherenkov Telescope Array collaborations. (Earlier I worked on the Pierre Auger Observatory and the CERN BEBC Beam Dump.) I participate in laboratory experiments using high powered lasers to investigate astrophysical processes, and programmes on Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics as well as Rubin-LSST.

Experience

  • 2021–present
    Profesor Emeritus, University of Oxford
  • 2006–2021
    Professor, University of Oxford
  • 1998–2006
    Lecturer, University of Oxford

Education

  • 1982 
    Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, PhD in Physics
  • 1974 
    Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, MSc in Physics
  • 1972 
    Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, BSc in Physics

Grants and Contracts

  • 2023
    Probing the Quantum Vacuum with High Power Laser and 4th Generation Light Sources in the Search for New Physics
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
  • 2021
    Quantum Sensing for the Hidden Sector
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    Science and Technology Facilities Council
  • 2020
    Theoretical Studies of Particles & Strings
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    Science and Technology Facilities Council

Professional Memberships

  • Scientific Council, ICTP Asia-Pacific, Beijing (2019-)
  • IUPAP Commission C4: Astroparticle Physics (2021-)
  • Particle Data Group (2001-)

Honours

IUPAP-TIFR Homi Bhabha Medal and Prize, 2017