Higher-spin gauge theories involve a massless spin-2 particle (graviton), together with (typically infinitely many) gauge fields of spin greater than two. Such concepts are mainly suggested by two observations:
- The constraints brought by a larger gauge symmetry may remove some UV divergences in the attempt to quantize gravity.
- String theory does involve fields of arbitrary spin.
There has been a huge progress in the understanding of such theories in the last years, including
- the connection between Higher-spin gauge theories and conformal field theories (via holography).
- quantitative results in the conjectured connections to string theory in a tensionless limit.
The aim of the planned program is to bring together experts to stimulate important progress in the field.