Davide Gaiotto profile picture

Krembil Galileo Galilei Chair in Theoretical Physics

Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

Research Faculty
Perimeter Research Chair

Areas of research: Mathematical Physics Quantum Fields and Strings

(519) 569-7600 x5004

Teaching Affiliations
If you are interested in pursuing a MSc degree, please apply to the Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) masters program. If you are interested in working with me as a PhD student, please send me an email at [email protected]. The PSI program offers the simplest route to work with me as a PhD student.
Research Interests

My research primarily focuses on theoretical and mathematical physics, with a particular emphasis on the interplay between quantum field theory (QFT), string theory, algebra and geometry. Much of my work concerns QFTs which are supersymmetric or topological. 

Awards
  • Frontiers of Science Award (ICBS 2025), International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS), sponsored by the City of Beijing and the Yanqi Lake Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications (BIMSA), 2025
  • 2024 Frontiers of Science Award, 2024 International Congress of Basic Science, 2024
  • Simons Collaboration on Confinement and QCD Strings, Simons Foundation, 2022-2026
  • Discovery Grant, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), 2019-2024
  • New Horizons in Physics Prize, Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation, 2013
  • The Gribov Medal, European Physical Society, 2011
Recent Publications
  • Gaiotto, D., Rajalingam Kannagi, S., & Sanjurjo, S. (2026). D-branes and the planar limit of Chern-Simons theory. Link invariants. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2026(3), 194. doi:10.1007/jhep03(2026)194
  • Gaiotto, D., & Zeng, K. (2026). Interface Minimal Model Holography and Topological String Theory. https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.08783v1
  • Ambrosino, F., & Gaiotto, D. (2026). Renormalization Group Flow in Schur quantization. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2026(2), 57. doi:10.1007/jhep02(2026)057
  • Gaiotto, D., López-Raven, A., Silverans, H., & Zeng, K. (2025). Categorical ’t Hooft expansion and chiral algebras. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(12), 141. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2025)141
  • Gaiotto, D., Rapcák, M., & Zhou, Y. (2025). Deformed Double Current Algebras, Matrix Extended W8 Algebras, Coproducts, and Intertwiners from the M2-M5 Intersection. Communications in Mathematical Physics, 406(12), 311. doi:10.1007/s00220-025-05488-y
  • Gaiotto, D., Kannagi, S. R., & Sanjurjo, S. (2025). D-branes and the planar limit of Chern-Simons theory I: Link invariants. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2506.03246
  • Gaiotto, D. (2025). The Categorical 't Hooft Expansion. https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19776v1
  • Gaiotto, D., López-Raven, A., Silverans, H., & Zeng, K. (2025). Categorical 't Hooft expansion and chiral algebras. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2411.00760
  • Gaiotto, D., & Khan, A. (2025). Categorical pentagon relations and Koszul duality. Letters in Mathematical Physics, 115(5), 100. doi:10.1007/s11005-025-01932-1
  • Zhou, Z., Gaiotto, D., & He, Y. -C. (2025). Free and Interacting Fermionic Conformal Field Theories on the Fuzzy Sphere. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.08038v3
  • Gaiotto, D., Hilburn, J., Redondo-Yuste, J., Webster, B., & Zhou, Z. (2025). Twisted Traces on Abelian Quantum Higgs and Coulomb Branches. Communications in Mathematical Physics, 406(9), 202. doi:10.1007/s00220-025-05379-2
  • Gaiotto, D., Hilburn, J., Redondo-Yuste, J., Webster, B., & Zhou, Z. (2025). Twisted traces on abelian quantum Higgs and Coulomb branches. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2308.15198
  • Gaiotto, D., & Verlinde, H. (2025). SYK-Schur duality: double scaled SYK correlators from N = 2 supersymmetric gauge theory. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(6), 163. doi:10.1007/jhep06(2025)163
  • Gaiotto, D., Moore, G. W., Neitzke, A., & Yan, F. (2025). Commuting Line Defects At qN = 1. Communications in Mathematical Physics, 406(6), 144. doi:10.1007/s00220-025-05330-5
  • Gaiotto, D., Kulp, J., & Wu, J. (2025). Higher operations in perturbation theory. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(5), 230. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2025)230
  • Balduf, P. -H., & Gaiotto, D. (2025). Combinatorial proof of a non-renormalization theorem. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(5), 120. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2025)120
  • Gaiotto, D., & Teschner, J. (2025). Quantum analytic Langlands correspondence. SciPost Physics, 18(4), 144. doi:10.21468/scipostphys.18.4.144
  • Gaiotto, D., & Johnson-Freyd, T. (2025). Condensations in higher categories. doi:10.48550/arxiv.1905.09566
  • Gaiotto, D., & Teschner, J. (2025). Quantum Analytic Langlands Correspondence. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.10932
  • Gaiotto, D., & Abajian, J. (2025). Twisted M2 brane holography and sphere correlation functions. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(3), 195. doi:10.1007/jhep03(2025)195
  • Gaiotto, D., & Kim, H. (2025). 3D TFTs from 4d N = 2 BPS particles. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(3), 173. doi:10.1007/jhep03(2025)173
  • Ambrosino, F., & Gaiotto, D. (2025). Renormalization Group flow in Schur quantization. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.16685v1
  • Gaiotto, D., & Abajian, J. (2025). Twisted M2 brane holography and sphere correlation functions. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2004.13810
  • Gaiotto, D., & Teschner, J. (2025). Quantum Analytic Langlands Correspondence. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.10644
  • Gaiotto, D. (2025). Sphere quantization of Higgs and Coulomb branches and Analytic Symplectic Duality. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(1), 188. doi:10.1007/jhep01(2025)188
  • Costello, K., & Gaiotto, D. (2025). Twisted holography. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2025(1), 87. doi:10.1007/jhep01(2025)087
  • Gaiotto, D., & Oh, J. (2024). Aspects of O-deformed M-theory. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(12), 184. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2024)184
  • Gaiotto, D. (2024). Vertex algebra constructions for (analytic) geometric Langlands in genus zero. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(12), 139. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2024)139
  • Costello, K., Gaiotto, D., & Yagi, J. (2024). Q-operators are ’t Hooft lines. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(11), 3. doi:10.1007/jhep11(2024)003
  • Gaiotto, D., & Kim, H. (2024). 3D TFTs from 4d ${\cal N}=2$ BPS Particles. https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.20393v1
  • Gaiotto, D., & Verlinde, H. (2024). SYK-Schur duality: Double scaled SYK correlators from $N=2$ supersymmetric gauge theory. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2409.11551
  • Gaiotto, D., & Lee, J. H. (2024). The giant graviton expansion. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(8), 25. doi:10.1007/jhep08(2024)025
  • Zhou, Z., Gaiotto, D., He, Y. -C., & Zou, Y. (2024). The $g$-function and defect changing operators from wavefunction overlap on a fuzzy sphere. SciPost Physics, 17(1), 021. doi:10.21468/scipostphys.17.1.021
  • Gaiotto, D., & Teschner, J. (2024). Schur Quantization and Complex Chern-Simons theory. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2406.09171
  • Gaiotto, D., Grygoryev, N., & Li, W. (2024). Categories of Line Defects and Cohomological Hall Algebras. https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.07134v3
  • Zhou, Z., Gaiotto, D., He, Y. -C., & Zou, Y. (2024). The $g$-function and Defect Changing Operators from Wavefunction Overlap on a Fuzzy Sphere. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.9169
  • Budzik, K., Gaiotto, D., Kulp, J., Williams, B. R., Wu, J., & Yu, M. (2024). Semi-chiral operators in 4d N = 1 gauge theories. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(5), 245. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2024)245
  • Zhou, Z., Gaiotto, D., He, Y. -C., & Zou, Y. (2024). The $g$-function and Defect Changing Operators from Wavefunction Overlap on a Fuzzy Sphere. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.8822
  • Gaiotto, D., Rapcák, M., & Zhou, Y. (2024). Deformed Double Current Algebras, Matrix Extended $\mathcal W_{\infty}$ Algebras, Coproducts, and Intertwiners from the M2-M5 Intersection. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2309.16929
  • Gaiotto, D., Kulp, J., & Wu, J. (2024). Higher Operations in Perturbation Theory. https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.13049v1
  • Gaiotto, D., & Witten, E. (2024). Gauge Theory and the Analytic Form of the Geometric Langlands Program. Annales Henri Poincaré, 25(1), 557-671. doi:10.1007/s00023-022-01225-6
  • Budzik, K., & Gaiotto, D. (2023). Twisted holography without conformal symmetry. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(12), 104. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2023)104
  • Budzik, K., & Gaiotto, D. (2023). Giant gravitons in twisted holography. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(10), 131. doi:10.1007/jhep10(2023)131
  • Budzik, K., & Gaiotto, D. (2023). Twisted holography without conformal symmetry. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2211.01419
  • Costello, K., Dimofte, T., & Gaiotto, D. (2023). Boundary Chiral Algebras and Holomorphic Twists. Communications in Mathematical Physics, 399(2), 1203-1290. doi:10.1007/s00220-022-04599-0
  • Budzik, K., Gaiotto, D., Kulp, J., Wu, J., & Yu, M. (2023). Feynman diagrams in four-dimensional holomorphic theories and the Operatope. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(7), 127. doi:10.1007/jhep07(2023)127
  • Gaiotto, D. (2023). Sphere quantization of Higgs and Coulomb branches and Analytic Symplectic Duality. https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12396v1
  • Gaiotto, D., Moore, G. W., Neitzke, A., & Yan, F. (2023). Commuting Line Defects At $q^N=1$. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2307.14429
  • Gaiotto, D., & Johnson-Freyd, T. (2023). Mock modularity and a secondary elliptic genus. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(8), 94. doi:10.1007/jhep08(2023)094
  • Gaiotto, D., & Khan, A. (2023). Categorical Pentagon Relations and Koszul Duality. https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.12103v1
Seminars
  • Bridging analytical and numerical methods for quantum field theory, ECT* Trento, Trento, Italy, 2026/08/27
  • The Categorical 't Hooft Expansion, Kansas State University, Manhattan, United States, 2026/03/02
  • Complex Chern-Simons Theory and Schur Quantization, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, United States, 2026/01/15
  • Chern-Simons-Matter theories and Holography, Holomorphic-topological field theories and representation theory, 2025/11/03, PIRSA:25110048
  • Bridging analytical and numerical methods for quantum field theory, ECT* trento, Trento, Italy, 2025/08/27
  • Complex Chern-Simons Theory and Schur Quantization, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, United States, 2025/01/01
  • Holomorphic-Topological Twists and their Applications, Mathematics on the Crossroad of Centuries, IHES, 2024/09/07
  • Lecture - Twisted Holography a, Celestial Holography Summer School 2024, 2024/07/26, PIRSA:24070022
  • Lecture - Twisted Holography b, Celestial Holography Summer School 2024, 2024/07/26, PIRSA:24070023
  • Schur Quantization of Complex Chern-Simons Theory, String Math 2024, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, 2024/06/14
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/05/01, PIRSA:24050002
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/29, PIRSA:24040044
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/26, PIRSA:24040043
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/24, PIRSA:24040042
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/22, PIRSA:24040041
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/19, PIRSA:24040040
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/17, PIRSA:24040039
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/15, PIRSA:24040038
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/12, PIRSA:24040037
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/11, PIRSA:24040035
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/10, PIRSA:24040036
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/05, PIRSA:24040034
  • String Theory Lecture, String Theory 2023/24, 2024/04/03, PIRSA:24040033
  • Unexpected Unitarity, Arithmetic Quantum Field Theory Conference,, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States, 2024/03/27
  • Chiral algebras in the planar limit., Workshop on New Directions in Conformal Field Theory, Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, Toronto, Canada, 2024/03/20
  • Twisted Holography Mini-Course - Lecture 20231214, Twisted Holography Mini-Course, 2023/12/14, PIRSA:23120018
  • Twisted Holography Mini-Course - Lecture 20231130, Twisted Holography Mini-Course, 2023/11/30, PIRSA:23110042
  • Twisted Holography Mini-Course - Lecture 20231123, Twisted Holography Mini-Course, 2023/11/23, PIRSA:23110041
  • Twisted Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory, 2023 Simons Collaboration on Confinement and QCD Strings Annual Meeting, Simons Foundation, New York, United States, 2023/11/03
  • Quantization via SQFT, Quantum Fields and Strings, 2023/09/26, PIRSA:23090111

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