Kristina Giesel, PhD, who began her faculty career as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Louisiana State University before returning to Germany, has been elected president of the International Society of Loop Quantum Gravity. The election is a significant recognition of Giesel’s scientific leadership and highlights LSU’s longstanding role in advancing one of the leading approaches to quantum gravity.
Although Giesel left LSU several years ago, she has remained closely connected to the university through an active research collaboration with faculty in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. These partnerships have fostered a sustained exchange of ideas in loop quantum gravity while providing opportunities for postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students to engage in internationally recognized research.
Among Giesel’s closest collaborators at LSU is Ball Family Distinguished Professor Parampreet Singh. Together, they have investigated some of the most fundamental questions in quantum gravity, including the nature of spacetime singularities, the evolution of the early universe, and the problem of time — a longstanding challenge in attempts to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Their collaborative research has been supported by a joint DFG–NSF grant, a relatively uncommon funding mechanism that supports scientific partnerships between researchers in Germany and the United States. The work has produced important advances in understanding how quantum theories of gravity can be used to describe physically meaningful phenomena and connect fundamental theory with observable features of the universe.
“Taken together, these contributions have helped connect deep conceptual questions in quantum gravity to concrete problems involving the early universe and spacetime singularities,” said Singh.
Beyond its scientific contributions, the collaboration has strengthened LSU’s presence within the international quantum gravity community and helped build lasting connections between researchers across continents. Through joint publications, student mentoring, workshops, and ongoing research projects, Giesel and LSU colleagues have contributed to a vibrant global network of scholars working to better understand the fundamental nature of space, time, and gravity.
Giesel’s election as president of the International Society of Loop Quantum Gravity reflects both her individual accomplishments and the enduring international partnerships that continue to connect LSU researchers with leading scholars worldwide.