COSMIC WISPER :
Ali Ovgun
Current position:
Associate professor
Affiliation:
Eastern Mediterranean University
Field of research:
Black hole physics, and cosmology
What is your career trajectory to date?
I earned a B.Sc. in Physics from İzmir Institute of Technology, in 2010. In 2011, I gained experience in astroparticle physics at the University of Southampton, through the SEPnet Ph.D. Scholarships. Following this, I completed my M.Sc. in 2013 and Ph.D. in Physics in 2016 at Eastern Mediterranean University. In 2017, I was awarded the FONDECYT Postdoctorado Grant to continue my research at the Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile, for three years as a postdoctoral researcher. During this time, I also served as a visiting scientist at CERN’s TH Division, the University of Waterloo, California State University, Fresno, and the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics. Currently, I am an associate professor at Eastern Mediterranean University.
What are the most exciting open questions in your research area?
The most exciting open questions in my research area include understanding the mysterious nature of dark matter. Additionally, the origin of the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the universe remains a profound puzzle. Moreover, the Hubble tension, which highlights discrepancies between different measurements of the universe’s expansion rate, also poses significant challenges and may point to new physics beyond the standard model. Furthermore, exploring the quantum nature of gravity is crucial for developing a unified theory that reconciles general relativity with quantum mechanics, potentially leading to groundbreaking insights into the fabric of spacetime and the behavior of black holes and wormholes.
What role do you think a network like COSMIC WISPers can play in developing WISP searches in Europe?
As a member of COSMIC WISPers, our network drives coordinated WISP research across Europe by integrating expertise from particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. We facilitate discussions, develop a roadmap, and establish a shared database on theoretical models and experimental findings. Our goal is to foster new experiments and advance our understanding of weakly interacting slim particles through unified, interdisciplinary efforts. By presenting a unified front, we secure funding for sustained WISP research, aiming for significant progress in understanding our universe.
