Azadeh Maleknejad
Quantum fields in cosmology, particle cosmology and gravitational waves, including quantum sensing for new detectors.
Personal page →Swansea University · Centre for Quantum Fields and Gravity
Cosmology & Gravity @ Swansea
Our research group explores fundamental questions in cosmology and gravity, from the early Universe to dark energy, dark matter, and gravitational waves. Our work connects theoretical ideas, ranging from quantum field theory in curved spacetime to string theory, with observational opportunities. We are actively involved in major international collaborations, including LISA, NANOGrav, SKAO, Einstein Telescope, and Euclid.
Next group seminarGinevra Braga (L’Aquila)
Faculty
Gianmassimo Tasinato
Cosmology, gravitational waves and theories of gravity, from the early Universe to black holes.
Personal page →Ivonne Zavala
String cosmology and phenomenology, inflation, dark energy and dark matter, and primordial gravitational waves.
Personal page →Research
The early Universe
Inflation and its multifield and string-theory realisations, quantum fields in de Sitter space, primordial black holes and the origin of matter.
Dark energy and dark matter
Quintessence and coupled dark sectors, dark matter production, and testing models against the newest cosmological data with Bayesian and machine-learning methods.
Gravitational waves
Primordial and stochastic backgrounds and how to detect them: pulsar timing arrays, astrometry, LISA, the Einstein Telescope, the SKA and new quantum-sensing detectors.
Strings, fields and gravity
String compactifications and phenomenology, supergravity, modified gravity and black holes, and what quantum gravity implies for cosmology.
Collaborations
We are part of the Centre for Quantum Fields and Gravity, the theory group of the Physics Department, which runs a weekly theory seminar. For papers, see each faculty member’s page.
People
PhD students
- Alisha Marriot-Best
- Giulia Borghetto
- Aya Ghaleb
- Saba Rahimy
- Eleanna KoloniaBell Burnell Graduate Scholar
- Lucas Vicente García-ConsuegraBased at King’s College London
Former postdocs
- Ameek Malhotra2023 – 2026
- Debika Chowdhury2020 – 2023
- Ogan Özsoy2017 – 2019
- Javier Chagoya2016 – 2018, CONACyT postdoctoral fellow
Former PhD students
- Marisol Jiménez CruzPhD 2026
- Bill AtkinsPhD 2025
- Roberta ChiovoloniPhD 2022
- Jonathan HollandPhD 2020
- Maria MylovaPhD 2020
- Cari PowellPhD 2020
- Francesco FilippiniPhD 2019
- Karta KoonerPhD 2018
Visiting students
- Jagan KaurMaster's student, University of Padova, 2026
- Daniele LicciardelloMaster's student, University of Bologna, 2025
- Martina La RosaMaster's student, University of Bologna, 2025
- Martina CipriniMaster's student, University of Bologna, 2025
- Maria Lucia MarcelliMaster's student, University of Bologna, 2025
- Flavio C. SánchezMaster's student, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Mexico, 2025
- Yessenia Olguín-TrejoPhD student, IF-UNAM, Mexico, 2018
Group seminars
Wednesdays at 15:30, Room 619, Vivian TowerTalks by visitors and group members, plus journal clubs. Everyone is welcome.
Upcoming
- 21 Oct 2026Ginevra Braga · L’Aquila
- 28 Oct 2026Reginald Bernardo · Hannover
- 11 Nov 2026Paolo Arnaudo · Southampton
Programme by academic year
2026/27 5 talks
- 11 NovPaolo Arnaudo · SouthamptonUpcoming
- 28 OctReginald Bernardo · HannoverUpcoming
- 21 OctGinevra Braga · L’AquilaUpcoming
- 14 OctRipalta Amoruso · Padova
- 23 SepEleanna Kolonia · Swansea
2025/26 22 talks
- 29 JulChiara Cecchini
- 10 JunTommaso Mengoni
- 3 JunFlorie Carralot
- 27 MayAya Ghaleb · Swansea
- 20 MayRahul Shah
- 13 MayChandra Prakash
- 8 AprGiulia Borghetto and Saba Rahimy · SwanseaBritGrav practice talks
- 18 MarDespoina Farakou · Prague
- 11 MarPaola Carolina Moreira Delgado · CEICO, Prague
- 4 MarSuddhasattwa Brahma
- 25 FebGabriele Demasi · University of Florence
- 18 FebAmeek Malhotra · Swansea
- 11 FebSupritha Bhowmick
- 3 DecKyra Jacobo Luna
- 26 NovSha Azyzy · MPA Garching
- 12 NovCristóbal Zenteno Gatica · IFT Madrid
- 5 NovMattia Cielo · IFT Madrid
- 22 OctDibya Chakraborty · IIT MadrasJournal club
- 15 OctAngelo Caravano · University of AmsterdamTheory seminar
- 15 OctMarisol Jiménez Cruz · Swansea
- 8 OctGiorgio Mentasti · Imperial College LondonJournal club
- 1 OctGiulia Borghetto · Swansea
2024/25 6 talks
- 13 AugMarkus Mosbech · RWTH Aachen
- 6 AugAzadeh Maleknejad · Swansea
- 30 JulBill Atkins · Swansea
- 9 JulGianmassimo Tasinato · Swansea
- 18 JunMartin Pijnenburg · University of Geneva
- 11 JunIndira Ocampo · IFT Madrid
Join us
We welcome PhD students, postdocs and visitors interested in cosmology, gravitational waves and string theory. When we have funded positions we advertise them on INSPIRE Jobs.
We are also glad to host researchers who bring their own funding, and to help strong candidates prepare fellowship applications with Swansea as host. Contact the faculty member whose work is closest to yours, ideally a few months before the deadline.
PhD students
- STFC-funded PhD studentships at Swansea
- Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund (Institute of Physics)
- Scholarships for international students, for example:
- Onassis Foundation Scholarships (Greece)
- Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships (India)
- Commonwealth Scholarships (Commonwealth countries)
- SECIHTI scholarships for study abroad (Mexico)
Postdocs and fellows
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships
- STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships
- Royal Society University Research and Newton International Fellowships
- Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships
Contact
Address
Department of PhysicsSwansea University, Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP, UK