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G'day

I'm Mark Bugden and welcome to my homepage. I am a research scientist currently working at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour in Konstanz, Germany.

Although I am currently working in Animal Behaviour, my academic background is in theoretical and mathematical physics, which I still work on occasionally. My two main research programs in this area are in string theory and mathematical aspects of general relativity.

Animal Behaviour

My current research involves studying the collective behaviour of animals in the hydrodynamic limit - that is, when there are a large number of individuals.

Such systems behave as though they are a fluid, and can be described using the mathematics of fluid mechanics. The extent to which this is an accurate description is one of my main research interests, and I am studying this topic through the combination of simulations and quantitative analysis of experimental data.

String Theory

My main focus in string theory and M-theory is on studying the properties of dualities.

A little more specifically, the following list provides a subset of the research topics in string theory/M-theory in which I am interested:

String theory/M-theory

  • Geometric, topological, and algebraic properties of various T-dualities
    • Abelian T-duality
    • Non-abelian T-duality
    • Poisson-Lie T-duality
    • Non-isometric T-duality
    • Spherical T-duality
  • Generalised Geometry and Exceptional Generalised Geometry
  • Double Field Theory and Exceptional Field Theory
  • Courant algebroids, Leibniz algebroids, G-algebroids, and L∞ algebroids
  • Solution generating techniques in supergravity/string theory
  • T-folds, non-commutative, and non-associative string backgrounds

Publications and Preprints

Doctoral Thesis

  • 2019 - A Tour of T-duality: geometric and topological aspects of T-dualities

General Relativity

My research in general relativity focusses on black holes in 4 and higher dimensions. I am particularly interested in the properties of light orbiting black holes.

General relativity

  • Black hole solutions in four and higher dimensions
  • Photon spheres and trapped photons
  • Limits of spacetimes
  • Solution generating techniques in general relativity

Publications and Preprints

Teaching

Australian National University
Mathematical Sciences Institute
Note: These semesters are based on the southern hemisphere academic schedule.

  • Autumn 2019
    • Lecturer: Math3351 - Introduction to Conformal Field Theory
  • Autumn 2018
    • Tutor: Math2222 - Introduction to Mathematical Thinking, Problem Solving and Proofs
    • Tutor: 2nd/3rd Year Mathematics Drop-in Sessions
    • Tutor: Math1005 - Discrete Mathematical Models
  • Spring 2017
    • Tutor: Math2242 – Introduction to Geometry – Curves and Surfaces
    • Guest Lecturer: Math2242 – Fractiling the Euclidean plane; Aperiodic Tilings and Fractal Duals
  • Autumn 2017
    • Tutor: Math2222 – Introduction to Mathematical Thinking – Problem Solving and Proofs
  • Spring 2016
    • Tutor: Math1116 – Mathematics and Applications 2 – Honours
  • Autumn 2016
    • Tutor: Math1115 – Mathematics and Applications 1 – Honours
  • Autumn 2015
    • Tutor: Math1115 – Mathematics and Applications 1 – Honours
  • Spring 2014
    • Tutor: Math1116 – Mathematics and Applications 2 – Honours
  • Autumn 2014
    • Tutor: Math2320 – Analysis 1: Metric Spaces and Applications

University of Wollongong
School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics
Note: These semesters are based on the southern hemisphere academic schedule.

  • Spring 2013
    • Tutor: Math202 – Differential Equations 2
    • Tutor: Math111 – Applied Mathematical Modelling 1
  • Autumn 2013
    • Tutor: Math203 – Linear Algebra
    • Tutor: Math010 – Enabling Mathematics for Engineers
  • Spring 2012
    • Tutor: Math111 – Applied Mathematical Modelling 1
  • Autumn 2012
    • Tutor: Math302 – Differential Equations 3
    • Tutor: Math151 – General Mathematics 1A
  • Autumn 2011
    • Tutor: Math151 – General Mathematics 1A

University of Wollongong
University College
Note: These semesters are based on the southern hemisphere academic schedule.

  • Spring 2013
    • Lecturer/Tutor/Coordinator: FSPW116 – Mathematics 1
    • Lecturer/Tutor: UAP004 – Mathematics and Statistics
  • Autumn 2013
    • Lecturer/Tutor/Coordinator: FSPW116 – Mathematics 1
  • Spring 2012
    • Tutor: FSPW118 – Foundations in Mathematics

Coding projects

You can find our more about my coding projects at my Data Science Website.

Contact

You can contact me at the following email address:
mathphys@mark-bugden.com
I can also be contacted at my Max Planck Institute email address:
mbugden@ab.mpg.de

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