Theoretical High Energy Physics/String Theory/Gravity is considered to be the most competitive field in terms of graduate admissions with world's brightest young minds competing to enter very few places at top universities in the elite discipline. LUMS undergraduate students specialising in the field have continued to secure best placements.
This year, Ali Shehper got fully funded PhD scholarship from UT Austin, ranked among the top ten string theory/gravity programmes led by the Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg, while Ibrahim Shehzad received various offers including from Stony Brook, a top ranked programme in string theory, Maryland, UCD, USC and Penn State. Ibrahim will first be joining the Perimeter Institute at Waterloo, Canada, the leading upcoming institute in theoretical physics, for an accelerated specialised 10 month Master’s programme on full scholarship. Ahsan Khan, a physics research assistant, also got fully funded PhD scholarship from UT Austin and Rutgers. Usama Javed Mirza, another LUMS physics major, has been admitted to Columbia University on the Fulbright scholarship.
In late 60's Pakistan saw a surge in research activity in high energy physics with many students completing their doctorate in the field inspired by Prof. Abdus Salam, many of them having graduated under his tutelage. These scientists then provided a scientific base for Pakistan on their return to the country but unfortunately the high standards set by them could not continue for long. It is hoped that the stream of students from LUMS will set in a revival of the field and put Pakistan back onto world map in theoretical physics.
Apart from the above students, all other students who applied for graduate admissions this year have received fully funded PhD offers from top institutes like Cornell, Case Western and Kansas in fields ranging from Medical Physics, Experimental High Energy Physics and Mathematics.
