International School of Physics "Enrico Fermi"

 

Topology and Materials (Course 215)

Arrival day: Tue, 16 Jul 2024

Opening of the course: Wed, 17 Jul 2024, 9.00 a.m.

Closing of the course: Mon, 22 Jul 2024, 12.30 p.m.

Villa Monastero, Lake Como, Varenna, Italy

 

Closing date for applications: 26 April 2024

The interplay between Topology and Physics in the self-organization and the inherent properties of condensed matter and materials is a topic that has attracted vast attention in the recent past.  

The International School of Physics Enrico Fermi will offer its participants an instructive training on both the mathematical fundamentals and the Physics of currently topical issues that bring about the interplay between Topology and Physics for hard and soft matter and materials.

Participants will enrich their knowledge on problems, topics, and techniques representing the state-of-the-art in the field of the interplay between topology and materials, in and out of equilibrium. The School will offer great opportunities for useful cross-fertilization and possible collaborations arising from the exposure to leading researchers in the field and to interactions with other young scientists.

Enrico Fermi School

Courses of the Enrico Fermi School have become a special and precious opportunity of meeting for scientists and young physicists from all over the world and have reached considerable international prestige. The School has its institutional seat in the Villa Monastero at Varenna, one of the most beautiful and characteristic villages in the eastern bank of Como Lake. More information on the International School of Physics Enrico Fermi and directions to Varenna can be found on this site.

Scientific Topics

Participants will gain an extended overview of the state of art knowledge about the topology in soft and hard matter. This includes lectures on mathematical foundations; on theoretical, experimental and computational techniques employed to study topological steering of materials properties; on the role of topological materials in biophysics and condensed matter physics and on applications of topological materials in modern technology.

  1. Mathematical fundamentals and topological geometry
  2. Topological polymers: classification, structure, dynamics and rheology
  3. Knots and links in Physics and Biology
  4. DNA topology and function
  5. Topological defects in liquid crystals
  6. Topological colloids
  7. Topological charge and topological quantum number
  8. Topological insulators
  9. Topological Quantum Chemistry
  10. Dirac & Weyl semimetals           
  11. Majorana fermions and topological quantum computing

Confirmed Lecturers (tentative list)

  1. Igor Aronson, Penn State University
  2. Bogdan A. Bernevig, Princeton University
  3. Xing-Qiu Chen, CAS
  4. Ralph Claessen, JMU Würzburg
  5. Myfanwy Evans, University of Potsdam 
  6. Laura Filion, Utrecht University
  7. Sophie Jackson, Cambridge University 
  8. Cristian Micheletti, SISSA
  9. Giorgio Sangiovanni, University of Würzburg
  10. Michael Schüler, Paul Scherrer Institute
  11. Francesco Sciortino, Sapienza University of Rome
  12. Jan Smrek, University of Vienna
  13. Maia Vergniory, MPI Dresden
  14. Dimitris Vlassopoulos, FORTH

Directors

Christos Likos (University of Vienna), Sofia Kantorovich (University of Vienna), Cesare Franchini (University of Vienna & University of Bologna), Christoph Dellago (University of Vienna)

Scientific Secretary

Domenico Di Sante (University of Bolgna)