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Caltech
Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics

Welcome

Welcome to the Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics. True to the groundbreaking discoveries that have marked theoretical physics at Caltech, the Burke Institute will strengthen Caltech's leading role in humanity's quest to discover fundamental laws of nature and to explain natural phenomena at all scales—from subatomic, atomic, and molecular scales to the scales of celestial objects and the universe itself. Read more

Awards and Honors

All News
January 9, 2026
Preskill is a 2025 Highly Cited Researcher
August 1, 2024
Kitaev Wins Henri Poincaré Prize
April 25, 2023
Ooguri receives Guggenheim Fellowship

News and Media Highlights

All News
February 9, 2026
John Preskill on NISQ, FTQC & Quantum's Future
January 9, 2026
Kim Berghaus featured in "Biggest breakthroughs in physics:2025"
October 9, 2025
New Directors Appointed to Burke Institute and Leinweber Forum

Seminars

All Events
February 20, 2026 11:00 am

High Energy Theory Seminar

Online and In-Person Event
Exact Path Integral Methods in AdS$_2\times \mathbf{S}^2$ and Non-Perturbative Black Holes
Alberto Castellano, University of Chicago,
February 20, 2026 12:00 pm

IQIM Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Seminar

East Bridge 114
Testing the quantumness of gravity "ab absurdo"
Emanuele Panella, University of Rome Tor Vergata,
February 23, 2026 4:00 pm

High Energy Physics Seminar

Online and In-Person Event
Dynamical Love Numbers for Black Holes and Beyond from Shell Effective Field Theory
Dimitrios Kosmopoulos, CERN,
Hirosi Ooguri headshot
  • Faculty Interview

Hirosi Ooguri

Science Communication: A Conversation with Hirosi Ooguri

Read More About Hirosi Ooguri
Jason Alicea
  • Faculty Interview

Jason Alicea

From Theory to Reality: An Interview with Jason Alicea

Read More About Jason Alicea
Cliff Cheung
  • Faculty Interview

Cliff Cheung

The Miracle and Beauty of Physics: An Interview with Cliff Cheung

Read More About Cliff Cheung
Philip Hopkins
  • Faculty Interview

Philip Hopkins

Interactions in Space: An Interview with Philip Hopkins

Read More About Philip Hopkins
Kathryn Zurek
  • Faculty Interview

Kathryn Zurek

Shining New Light on Dark Matter

Read More About Kathryn Zurek
Xie Chen
  • Faculty Interview

Xie Chen

Quantum Information Meets Condensed Matter: Inside the Mind of Xie Chen

Read More About Xie Chen
Barry Simon
  • Faculty Interview

Barry Simon

Lifetime of Numbers: Q&A with Barry Simon

Read More About Barry Simon
Fernando Brandão
  • Faculty Interview

Fernando Brandão

The Power of Entanglement: A Conversation with Fernando Brandão

Read More About Fernando Brandão

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