National High Magnetic Field Laboratory to host 15th Theory Winter School to explore disorder in quantum materials

The U.S. National Science Foundation-funded, Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is set to host its 15th Theory Winter School in January with a roster of speakers exploring the behaviors and dynamics of quantum materials in states of disorder. 

Ten speakers from research universities around the world and from FSU’s Department of Physics will deliver presentations Monday, Jan. 11 through Friday, Jan. 15 on this year’s topic, “Quantum Materials Beyond Order: Fifty Years of Ill Condensed Matter.” The event, which is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral students, and early career scientists, will examine how disorder and inhomogeneity affect how systems of particles move, organize, and conduct energy in quantum materials. Registration is $650, excluding travel costs, and is open until 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. 

The school, which has been held annually since 2012, is organized by FSU associate professor of physics Hitesh Changlani, Distinguished Research Professor of Physics Vladimir Dobrosavljevic, and Subir Sachdev, the Herchel Smith Professor of Physics at Harvard University.

Sachdev, who specializes in quantum entanglement, will serve as one of 10 speakers for the event alongside researchers who specialize in research areas related to disorder in quantum materials such as non-equilibrium thermodynamics, quantum information theory, glassy systems and more.

Additional speakers at the 2027 Theory Winter School include: 

Leticia Cugliandolo, professor of physics, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France

Peter Hirschfield, distinguished professor of physics, University of Florida

David Huse, professor of physics, Princeton University 

Vedika Khemani, associate professor of physics, Stanford University

Steve Kivelson, Prabhu Goel Family Professor of physics, Stanford University

Marc Mézard, professor of theoretical physics at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy

Matteo Mitrano, associate professor of physics, Harvard University

Dragana Popovic, research professor of physics at FSU and research faculty member, National MagLab

Lev Vidmar, associate professor of physics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

The event is presented in collaboration with the FSU Quantum Initiative, FSU’s Office of Research, and the Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter, an international collective of scientists who study emergent phenomena in complex matter systems and host exploratory workshops, symposia, fellowships and research networks.

For more information about the Theory Winter School and to register, visit nationalmaglab.org/theory-winter-school.