New Directions for Discovering Dark Matter Beyond the Weak Scale

There is overwhelming astrophysical and cosmological evidence for the existence of dark matter. Yet we still have no idea what its microscopic nature is. For decades, we have been extensively searching for a well-motivated class of particles at the Weak scale called WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles). However, lack of a convincing signal has compelled us to consider a broader program based on novel theoretical directions and search strategies. In this talk, I will present my work on new scenarios and search strategies to detect dark matter beyond the WIMP paradigm. I will particularly focus on striking signals from sub-geV and ultra-heavy dark matter, that are accessible to current and near future experiments.