Semiclassical Gravity from the Inside Out

Semiclassical Gravity from the Inside Out​ is a two-week workshop on recent developments in our understanding of black holes and closed universes. These developments come from a variety of methods like quantum information, the semiclassical gravitational path integral, and von Neumann algebras. It will be held at Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, India, from January 4–15, 2027. The workshop will bring together leading researchers from around the world and provides a great opportunity for students and early-career scientists interested in recent developments at the interface of semiclassical gravity, quantum information, and holography.

The first week will consist of pedagogical lectures designed to introduce participants to several central themes underlying current research in the field. These lectures aim to make the workshop accessible to students and researchers entering the area, while also providing a common foundation for later discussions. The topics are:

1) Quantum Gravity in de Sitter space: Sandip Trivedi​ (TIFR)

2) Closed Universes vs AdS/CFT: Pratik Rath​ (TIFR)

3) Quantum Reference Frames : Anne-Catherine de la Hamette​ (ETH Zurich)

4) Non-isometric Codes and the Gravitational Path Integral: Chris Akers​ (University of Colorado, Boulder)

5) Large N von Neumann algebras in Quantum Gravity: Gautam Satishchandran​ (Princeton University).

The second week will be organized as a focused conference and discussion workshop. The emphasis will be on recent progress in understanding closed universes, bulk observers, and related questions. By combining introductory lectures with intensive research talks and discussions, the workshop aims to create a setting where participants can exchange ideas, identify open problems, and develop new connections across fields.