Current Research Interests

Prof. Gavai has distinguished himself both internationally and nationally as a leader in the field of lattice quantum chromo dynamics (QCD) and quark-gluon plasma (QGP), which is a unique and important prediction of the standard model of particle interactions. Amongst his many important results on the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter, the chief ones are the existence of a chiral phase transition, the order of this transition and the location of its critical point. He showed that the production of the so-called strange particles in heavy ion collision experiments at CERN, Geneva and BNL, New York, is consistent with the expectation of quark-gluon plasma production in those collisions. His work was the first one to establish the importance of perturbative QCD in evaluating signals of QGP, leading others to join him in making critical assessment of such signals. He has authored over 150 research articles, edited books, and is on the editorial board of Pramana - the Indian Journal of Physics. He has so far mentored many physicists at several levels, including 4 PhD students.

Prof. Gavai was one of the driving forces to get email connectivity to all academic institutions in India via the VIDYANET proposal which was incorporated in the ERNET implementation. He nurtured the lattice field theory activity in India on many scales, including forming a national initiative and attracting young Indian researchers from abroad. As a member of the International Advisory Committees of the series of conferences on Lattice Field Theory as well as Quark Gluon Plasma, he has helped, and continues helping to shape their academic programs.