Low-energy supersymmetry: prospects and challenges

An introduction to the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) is given. The motivation for ``low-energy'' supersymmetry is reviewed, and the structure of the MSSM is outlined. In its most general form, the MSSM can be viewed as a low-energy effective theory parametrized by a set of arbitrary soft-supersymmetry-breaking parameters. A variety of techniques for reducing the parameter freedom of the MSSM are surveyed. The search for supersymmetry below and above the threshold for supersymmetric particle production presents a challenging task for experimentalists at present and future colliders.