About
Dr. David Kagan is a member of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth physics department. His primary academic interests are quantum foundations, quantum gravity, and teaching physics. David's curiosity about the world was sparked as a child, wondering about whether higher dimensions could exist and whether time travel was possible. Early on, he discovered that he loved engaging with friends, family, and anyone else about these thoughts, exchanging ideas with them, learning from them, and teaching them what he knew.
After finding out that physics could potentially address the sorts of questions David found fascinating, he enrolled at Columbia University, pursuing a double major in mathematics and physics. On graduating, he was fortunate to receive a Kellett Fellowship and an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, which supported him during his Ph.D. studies at the University of Cambridge. By the end of his Ph.D. studies, David realized that he was equally passionate about studying the Cosmos and teaching. He accepted a dual postdoctoral and teaching position at Columbia University, where he conducted research at Columbia's Institute for Strings, Cosmology, and Astroparticle Physics (ISCAP), and, separately, helped to devise and implement Columbia's Frontiers of Science program. After finishing his work there, David was delighted to join as faculty at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
David's early research focused on nonlinear sigma models, a type of theoretical model that forms the basis for certain approaches to string theory. As a postdoc at ISCAP, David worked on aspects of the string theory landscape. Since joining UMass Dartmouth, David has focused on quantum information and quantum foundations, with particular interest in new approaches for thinking about and teaching quantum theory. He is grateful for the support he has received from grants from FQXi and the Marine and UnderSea Technology Research Program.