Symmetry Magazine , Dec 2013

Dark matter remains one of the most compelling puzzles in modern physics. It constitutes ~27% of the universe’s energy density, yet its particle identity remains elusive. My research focuses on theoretical models of dark matter; from weakly interacting particles to self-interacting and asymmetric dark matter and on their potential signatures in present and future experimental facilities. I am also particularly interested in dark matter’s deeper connection to other fundamental puzzles in particle physics and cosmology, such as the origin of neutrino mass, the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, and its potential role in addressing long-standing anomalies. 

Neutrinos, once thought to be massless, have tiny but nonzero masses challenge the Standard Model, demanding new physics like the seesaw mechanism or radiative models. My work explores both tree-level and loop-level mass generation mechanisms, especially in connection with dark matter and potential experimental probes.

https://neutrino.physics.iastate.edu/project/dune

https://physics.aps.org/articles/v8/s17

The visible universe is overwhelmingly composed of matter rather than antimatter, a striking asymmetry that the Standard Model of particle physics cannot explain. My work investigates theoretical models that unify the origin of dark matter with baryogenesis. I focus on mechanisms such as leptogenesis via heavy neutrinos, cogenesis, and asymmetric dark matter scenarios. Beyond these frameworks, I explore novel baryogenesis mechanisms and their observational signatures. A key priority is developing low-scale leptogenesis models that operate at experimentally accessible energies offering testable predictions. 

Gravitational waves offer a new way to observe the Universe, from black hole mergers to cosmological phenomena. My research investigates the production of stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds from early universe events like first-order phase transitions, primordial black holes, and quantum gravitational processes. I also explore gravitational wave signatures as complementary cosmological probes for theories of dark matter, baryogenesis, and other early universe phenomena, offering valuable insights beyond traditional observations.

https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/objects/heapow/archive/technology/lisa.html

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14524/

Primordial black holes (PBHs), formed in the early Universe, are fascinating candidates for dark matter and potential sources of gravitational waves. I explore their role in cosmology, including their evaporation signatures, gravitational wave production, and links to dark matter and baryogenesis.

The persistent discrepancy between local and early-universe measurements of the Hubble constant suggests new physics beyond the standard cosmological model. My research investigates how dark sector physics with novel interactions, dark radiation, can contribute to resolving this tension while satisfying other cosmological constraints.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-019-0137-0

https://muon-g-2.fnal.gov/news.html

The measured magnetic moment of the muon deviates from Standard Model predictions, hinting at new physics. I work on theoretical frameworks where extended gauge symmetries and new particle sectors can naturally accommodate this anomaly while connecting to dark matter and neutrino physics.