Department of Physics

Modern S-matrix theory in hadron phenomenology; Hadronic spectroscopy in Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics; Confinement problem in Quantum Chromodynamics; Formal aspects of finite-volume quantum field theories; Non-perturbative methods in quantum field theories; Quantum three-body problem in hadronic and nuclear systems;

Prof. Sebastian Dawid is a theoretical physicist whose research focuses on the nonperturbative aspects of the strong interaction. His work spans hadron spectroscopy in lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the formal underpinnings of finite-volume field theory, and the development of nonperturbative methods in QCD. A central theme of his recent research is understanding how the strong force shapes multi-particle systems, from the structure of exotic hadrons to the emergence of confinement.

He develops and applies modern S-matrix and finite-volume quantum field theory techniques to describe how two- and three-hadron systems interact. This includes formulating new finite-volume quantization conditions and dynamical integral equations for two- and three-body scattering, addressing a key challenge in lattice QCD: translating the discrete spectrum of energies computed in a finite Euclidean volume into real-time scattering amplitudes, phase shifts, and resonance properties. He uses these tools across a variety of reactions to uncover the structure and dynamics of resonant states—such as the T_{cc}⁺ tetraquark and other exotic as well as conventional hadrons—in a way that can be directly confronted with experiment. By combining these formal methods with large-scale lattice QCD calculations at or near physical quark masses, his work enables first-principles predictions for the hadron spectrum, reaction rates, and universal features of three-body dynamics, including the appearance and behavior of Efimov-like states in relativistic settings.

In his recent work, Prof. Dawid has also investigated the nonperturbative origin of color confinement. Using Hamiltonian field theory approaches to Coulomb-gauge QCD, he has studied confinement scenarios and the structure of the chromoelectric “Coulomb flux tube,” helping to clarify how long-range forces emerge in QCD when formulated on the lattice. More broadly, he is interested in the analytic properties of perturbative expansions, topological aspects of quantum field theories, and symmetry structures in lattice field theories.

Sebastian M. Dawid, Zachary T. Draper, Andrew D. Hanlon et al., "QCD Predictions for Physical Multimeson Scattering Amplitudes", Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 021903, 2025.

Sebastian M. Dawid, Andrew W. Jackura, Adam P. Szczepaniak, "Finite-volume quantization condition from the N/D representation”, Phys. Lett. B 864, 139442, 2025.

Sebastian M. Dawid, Md Habib E. Islam, Raul A. Briceno et al., "Evolution of Efimov states", Phys. Rev. A, 109, 043325, 2024.

Sebastian M. Dawid, Wyatt A. Smith, Arkaitz Rodas et al., "Coulomb confinement in the Hamiltonian limit”, Phys. Rev. D 110, 094509, 2024.