Laurent Freidel

Laurent Freidel profile picture
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Research Faculty
Areas of research:
Mathematical Physics
Quantum Gravity
(519) 569-7600 x7621
If you want to pursue an MSc degree, please apply to the Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) master's program. I am currently not taking any new PhD students.
Laurent Freidel, Ph.D. L'école Normale Supérieure de Lyon (1994) has made many notable contributions to the field of Quantum Gravity and joined Perimeter Institute as one of its first members in 2002 and became tenured faculty in September 2006. He also has been its Faculty chair during the years 2021-2023. Freidel is a mathematical physicist with outstanding knowledge, besides his quantum gravity expertise, in a wide range of areas, including integrable systems, topological field theories, generalized geometry, 2d conformal field theory and Quantum Chromodynamics. He has authored or co-authored around 140 publications, many open new research areas and which are known among fellow researchers for combining creative ideas and offering complete, thorough and mathematically detailed arguments. Freidel is also the author or co-author of several significant papers on spin foam models - higher-dimensional diagrams that operate as models of the quantum geometry of spacetime in loop quantum gravity. He is currently developing local holography, a new bottom-up approach for quantum gravity that focuses on local corner symmetries that appear in the study of gravitational subsystems. This approach allows access to non-perturbative information about quantum gravity and its algebra of observables. e is one of the Principal Investigator of the Simons Collaboration on Celestial Holography. Finally, he is also developing Quantum gravity phenomenology by investigating UV/IR mixing. Since receiving his Ph.D., Freidel has held positions at Penn State University as a Postdoctoral researcher and L'école Normale as a member of France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). Dr. Freidel also receives several awards, including a Kvali Fellowship, two ACI-Blanche grants, several NSERC grants and two gravity essay prizes. In addition to his scientific contributions, he has mentored many graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and co-organized high-level international conferences in Quantum Gravity and mathematics.
  • Visiting Professor, Centre de Physique Théorique, 2023
  • Visiting Professor, ENS-Lyon, 2022-present
  • Faculty Chair, Perimeter Institute, Perimeter Institute, 2021-2023
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Waterloo, 2021-2026
  • Visiting Professor, ENS-Lyon, 2019-present
  • Visiting professor, CNRS poste Rose, ENS-Lyon, 2017-present
  • Visiting Professor, Yukawa institute at Kyoto University, 2012-present
  • Adjunct professor, University of Waterloo, 2002-2009
  • Postdoctoral position, Penn state University, State college PA, 1997-1999
  • Charge de recherche, CNRS, ENS-Lyon, 1994-2006
  • QuRIOS Fellowship, Heising-Simons Foundation (HSF) Collaboration on Quantum Gravity and Its Observational Signatures (QuRIOS), 2024-2027
  • Collaboration on Quantum Gravity and Its Observational Signatures (QuRIOS), Heising-Simons Foundation (HSF), 2023-2027
  • PI Co-ordinator for The Quantum Information Structure of Spacetime (QISS) Grant, John Templeton Foundation, 2022-2025
  • Discovery Grant, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), 2022-2026
  • Second Gravity Essay Prize for "Quantum Gravity Phenomenology in the Infrared", Gravity Research Foundation, 2021
  • Grant for Program H2020, named QUABODYP or "QUAntum Black hOle DYnamics and Phenomenology", European Commission, 2021
  • PI Co-ordinator for The Quantum Information Structure of Spacetime (QISS) Grant, John Templeton Foundation, 2019-2022
  • Discovery Grant, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), 2016-2021
  • Award for Essay on Gravitation, Gravity Research Foundation, 2011
  • Second Gravity Essay Prize for "Relative Locality: A Deepening of the Relativity Principle", Gravity Research Foundation, 2011
  • Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, 2008
  • "Jeunes chercheurs" Award (Projet 1032) "Geometrical structures of black Holes", ACI, 2002
  • Blanche Award (2078 CDR2) "Quantum Gravity", ACI, 1999
  • Freidel, L., Moosavian, S. F., & Pranzetti, D. (2025). On the definition of the spin charge in asymptotically-flat spacetimes. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 42(1), 015011. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/ad9216
  • Ciambelli, L., Freidel, L., & Leigh, R. G. (n.d.). Quantum null geometry and gravity. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(12), 28. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2024)028
  • Donnay, L., Freidel, L., & Herfray, Y. (n.d.). Carrollian $\mathscr Lw_{1+\infty}$ representation from twistor space. SciPost Physics, 17(4), 118. doi:10.21468/scipostphys.17.4.118
  • Donnay, L., Freidel, L., & Herfray, Y. (2024). Carrollian $\mathscr Lw_{1+\infty}$ representation from twistor space. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.9767
  • Donnay, L., Freidel, L., & Herfray, Y. (2024). Carrollian $\mathscr Lw_{1+\infty}$ representation from twistor space. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.9717
  • Riello, A., & Freidel, L. (2024). Renormalization of conformal infinity as a stretched horizon. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 41(17), 175013. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/ad5cbb
  • Donnay, L., Freidel, L., & Herfray, Y. (2024). Carrollian $\mathscr Lw_{1+\infty}$ representation from twistor space. doi:10.21468/scipost.report.9699
  • Ciambelli, L., Freidel, L., & Leigh, R. G. (2024). Quantum Null Geometry and Gravity. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2407.11132
  • Freidel, L., & Jai-akson, P. (2024). Geometry of Carrollian Stretched Horizons. arxiv:2406.06709v2
  • Freidel, L., & Jai-akson, P. (n.d.). Carrollian hydrodynamics and symplectic structure on stretched horizons. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(5), 135. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2024)135
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (n.d.). A discrete basis for celestial holography. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(2), 176. doi:10.1007/jhep02(2024)176
  • Donnay, L., Freidel, L., & Herfray, Y. (2024). Carrollian $Lw_{1+\infty}$ representation from twistor space. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2402.00688
  • Ciambelli, L., Freidel, L., & Leigh, R. G. (n.d.). Null Raychaudhuri: canonical structure and the dressing time. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2024(1), 166. doi:10.1007/jhep01(2024)166
  • Freidel, L., Geiller, M., & Wieland, W. (2024). Corner Symmetry and Quantum Geometry. In Handbook of Quantum Gravity (pp. 1-36). Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-981-19-3079-9_107-1
  • Freidel, L., Geiller, M., & Wieland, W. (2024). Corner Symmetry and Quantum Geometry. In Handbook of Quantum Gravity (pp. 4185-4220). Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-981-99-7681-2_107
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (n.d.). On infinite symmetry algebras in Yang-Mills theory. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(12), 9. doi:10.1007/jhep12(2023)009
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (2022). A discrete basis for celestial holography. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2212.12469
  • Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Leigh, R. G., & Minic, D. (2023). On the inevitable lightness of vacuum. International Journal of Modern Physics D, 32(14), 2342004. doi:10.1142/s021827182342004x
  • Ciambelli, L., Freidel, L., & Leigh, R. G. (2023). Null Raychaudhuri: Canonical Structure and the Dressing Time. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2309.03932
  • Alexander, S., Herczeg, G., & Freidel, L. (2023). An inner product for 4D quantum gravity and the Chern–Simons–Kodama state. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 40(14), 145010. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/acde3d
  • Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Leigh, R. G., & Minic, D. (2023). Vacuum energy density and gravitational entropy. Physical Review D, 107(12), 126016. doi:10.1103/physrevd.107.126016
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (2023). On infinite symmetry algebras in Yang-Mills theory. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2306.02373
  • Donnelly, W., Freidel, L., Moosavian, S. F., & Speranza, A. J. (n.d.). Matrix quantization of gravitational edge modes. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2023(5), 163. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2023)163
  • Freidel, L., & Jai-akson, P. (2023). Carrollian hydrodynamics from symmetries. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 40(5), 055009. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/acb194
  • Freidel, L., & Jai-akson, P. (2022). Carrollian hydrodynamics and symplectic structure on stretched horizons. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2211.06415
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (2022). Higher spin dynamics in gravity and w1+8 celestial symmetries. Physical Review D, 106(8), 086013. doi:10.1103/physrevd.106.086013
  • Freidel, L., Pranzetti, D., & Raclariu, A. -M. (n.d.). Sub-subleading soft graviton theorem from asymptotic Einstein’s equations. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2022(5), 186. doi:10.1007/jhep05(2022)186
  • Freidel, L., & Pranzetti, D. (n.d.). Gravity from symmetry: duality and impulsive waves. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2022(4), 125. doi:10.1007/jhep04(2022)125
  • Berglund, P., Freidel, L., Hubsch, T., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Leigh, R. G., Mattingly, D., & Minic, D. (2022). Infrared Properties of Quantum Gravity: UV/IR Mixing, Gravitizing the Quantum -- Theory and Observation. doi:10.48550/arxiv.2202.06890
  • Freidel, L. (2021). A canonical bracket for open gravitational system. arxiv:2111.14747v1
  • Freidel, L., Kowalski-Glikman, J., Leigh, R. G., & Minic, D. (2021). Quantum gravity phenomenology in the infrared. International Journal of Modern Physics D, 30(14), 2141002. doi:10.1142/s0218271821410029
  • Freidel, L., Goeller, C., & Livine, E. R. (2021). The quantum gravity disk: Discrete current algebra. Journal of Mathematical Physics, 62(10), 102303. doi:10.1063/5.0051647
  • Freidel, L., & Teh, N. (2021). Substantive general covariance and the Einstein-Klein dispute: A Noetherian approach. arxiv:2109.08516v1
  • Freidel, L., Oliveri, R., Pranzetti, D., & Speziale, S. (n.d.). Extended corner symmetry, charge bracket and Einstein’s equations. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2021(9), 83. doi:10.1007/jhep09(2021)083
  • Donnelly, W., Freidel, L., Moosavian, S. F., & Speranza, A. J. (n.d.). Gravitational edge modes, coadjoint orbits, and hydrodynamics. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2021(9), 8. doi:10.1007/jhep09(2021)008
  • Freidel, L., Oliveri, R., Pranzetti, D., & Speziale, S. (2021). The Weyl BMS group and Einstein’s equations. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2021(7), 170. doi:10.1007/jhep07(2021)170
  • Calcinari, A., Freidel, L., Livine, E., & Speziale, S. (2021). Twisted geometries coherent states for loop quantum gravity. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 38(2), 025004. doi:10.1088/1361-6382/abc273
  • Freidel, L., Geiller, M., & Pranzetti, D. (n.d.). Edge modes of gravity. Part III. Corner simplicity constraints. Journal of High Energy Physics, 2021(1), 100. doi:10.1007/jhep01(2021)100
  • Vision talk on Corner in Quantum gravity., TIMELIKE BOUNDARIES IN THEORIES OF GRAVITY, Universidad de Morelia, Morelia, Mexico, 2024/08/07, Video URL
  • Canonical structure, Dressing time and and quantization of null geometry, FAU^2 Focus Workshop on quantum black holes and the relation to asymptotic infinity., Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Physics, Erlangen, Germany, 2024/06/25
  • Null Raychauduri: Canonical structure, Dressing time and Quantization', Celestial Holography Seminar, 2024/05/07, Video URL
  • Null Raychauduri: Canonical structure, Dressing time and Quantum geometry', Workshop : Carrollian Physics and Holography, Erwin Schrodinger institute, Vienna, Austria, 2024/04/15, Video URL
  • Null Raychauduri: Canonical structure, Dressing time and Quantization'',, Caltech-University, QuRIOS Meeting., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States, 2024/03/20
  • Celestial Twistor and Carrollian representation of $Lw_{1+\infty}$, Workshop on Celestial Holography and Asymptotic Symmetries Santiago, Chile., Adolfo Ibáñez University, Physics, Santiago, Chile, 2024/03/05, Video URL
  • ``Local Holography: Corner symmetry and local holography. A paradigm for quantum geometry'', TUG workshop, École Normale Supérieure, Physics, Paris, France, 2023/10/11
  • quantum geometry and entanglement from corner symmetry, Quantum Gravity 2023 conference, July 10-14,, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands, 2023/07/13
  • UV/IR mixing, Vacuum Energy Density and Gravitational Entropy,, HSF Qurios Collaboration meeting University of Amsterdam, July7-13, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2023/07/08
  • Celestial dynamics, Higher spin symmetry and discrete basis, Gravitational memory: from theory to observation Workshop June 4-9 2023, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom, 2023/06/08, Video URL
  • UV/IR mixing, Vacuum Energy Density and Gravitational Entropy, workshop on Gravity and Beyond, May 18-20, 2023., Illinois Center for Advanced study of the universe, Illionois, USA, 2023/05/19
  • Corner symmetry and quantum geometry. A paradigm for quantum gravity, International Loop Quantum Gravity Seminar; Penn State, Pensylvannia, USA, 2023/05/16, Video URL
  • Quantum geometry and entanglement from Corner symmetry, American Physical Society, College Park, United States, 2023/04/25, Video URL
  • Local Holography and corner symmetry: A paradigm for quantum gravity, Quantum Gravity Around the Corner, 2022/10/04, PIRSA:22100036
  • Higher spin symmetries in gravity, Holography and gravitational waves workshop, IFPU, Trieste, 2022/07/15
  • Higher spin symmetry in gravity, Joint BHI/CMSA Conference on Flat Holography, Harvard University, USA, 2022/06/24
  • The nature of entanglement in gravity: A tale about Noether and subsystems, Quantum Information structure of spacetime, QISS conference, London, Ontario, 2022/06/06
  • Panel on Boundary Degrees of Freedom and Celestial Holography, International Loop Quantum Gravity Seminar, 2022/05/03
  • A new paradigm for quantum gravity based on symmetry, Penn State University Colloquium, Penn State University, 2022/03/18
  • Higher spin symmetries in gravity and asymptotic charge dynamics, Physics @ Boundaries, Online Conference, China, 2022/03/18
  • Higher spin symmetries in gravity and asymptotic charge dynamics, Celestial symmetries in the southern hemisphere, Montevideo Uruguay, 2022/03/05
  • Higher spin symmetry in gravity, Carroll Workshop, Vienna, 2022/02/22
  • The nature of quantum entanglement in gravity: a tale about Noether and subsystem, QISS seminar series, 2022/01/06
  • Local Holography: A new paradigm for quantum gravity based on symmetry, International conference Loops 22, Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon), France, 2022/01/01
  • Symmetry and Particles in 3D Quantum Gravity, Workshop on Quantum Gravity in the Americas: Status and future directions - 2004, 2004/10/30, PIRSA:04100038