Effective field theory provides a way of parameterizing strong-field deviations from General Relativity that might be observable in the gravitational waves emitted by a merger of compact objects. To perform numerical simulations of such mergers in effective theories, it is necessary that the theory admits a well-posed initial value formulation. In the first part of my talk, I will give a general overview of the field. Then I will discuss recent progress in the initial value formulation of effective theories of gravity, as well as some open problems.
D. Barducci