During his undergraduate studies, Assaf conducted research in the theory of general relativity under the mentorship of Prof. Amos Ori. He continued this work in his master’s degree, focusing on the internal structure of black holes within the semi-classical formalism of general relativity. The interior regions of certain black hole solutions reveal truly exotic features—such as naked singularities, bridges between universes, and closed time-like curves. His research has mainly explored quantum effects in the interior regions of electrically charged black holes.
He pursued his PhD in the string theory group under the supervision of Prof. Shlomo Razamat, with a focus on quantum field theory. Quantum field theory and string theory provide the foundations for describing phenomena across a wide range of energy scales—from condensed matter and elementary particles to black holes and early-universe cosmology. The field is rapidly advancing, and its ambition to uncover the fundamentals of physics is what continues to inspire him.
Recommendation to program participants: "Be proactive and put yourself no boundaries or limits in your studies and research. You can learn a great deal from the hardest of questions."