ICTS

The existence of dark matter (DM) has been inferred from its gravitational interactions, yet the identity of the dark matter particles remains completely unknown. The dominant candidate for DM over the last 30 years has been Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). However, despite extensive underground (direct), telescope (indirect), and collider searches, dedicated experiments have not found any evidence of WIMPs. Meanwhile, several astrophysical small-scale structure and cosmological hints might be an indication that DM has non-gravitational interactions that cannot easily be explained with vanilla WIMPs.

This online workshop on the Less Travelled Path of Dark Matter (LTPDM) will bring together particle physicists and cosmologists from all over the world to address current trends in DM searches, focused on axions and primordial black holes, and map the way forward. The program will also include a school, with lectures addressed to students and postdocs, familiarizing them with new and advanced concepts.

We plan to have a longer physical workshop on dark matter, with a larger perspective, in the near future once the current global pandemic crisis has subsided.

The organisers will ask for the reference letters only when it is felt required.