Theory News

Category for non scientific news about the theory group

Opening – ESQ Discovery project

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*This position is now closed* – 01/04/2023

The position of a 1-year Postdoctoral Researcher is now open to applications. The successful candidate will join Dr. Thomas Bland and Prof. Francesca Ferlaino at  the University of Innsbruck, Austria. The work concerns the question: “How ‘solid’ is a dipolar supersolid?”

Following the observation of supersolidity in Bose-Einstein condensates comprised of atoms with a significant dipole moment four years ago, much research has focused on exploring the superfluidity of the crystallised state. Here, we wish to investigate the solidity of the state, by probing solid properties of the material, such as shear, strain, and the plasticity. A PhD in Physics or a closely related field is required (or be close to completion). Candidates with an expertise in numerical and computational methods to tackle quantum many-body and mean-field theory are especially encouraged to apply. The expected start date is no later than September 2023. The Gross salary for a Postdoctoral Researcher under the FWF is 56k€ per annum. Check https://www.fwf.ac.at/de/forschungsfoerderung/personalkostensaetze for up-to-date information and an Austrian Gross-Net calculator. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Bland directly (email: thomas.bland@uibk.ac.at) and provide the following: a cover letter with a brief description of research interests, a CV including a full list of publications, and the contact information of two references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the anticipated position is filled.
Further information is available at: thomasblandphysics.com

 

ESQ Discovery project awarded to Tom

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Tom has been awarded an ESQ Discovery Project grant this year. The Discovery Programme supports new ideas and innovative research that go beyond traditional thinking.

In his project he will investigate the question “How ‘solid’ is a dipolar supersolid?” The scope of the project is to extract solid properties from dipolar supersolids, utilizing established theoretical models for the formation and dynamics of these systems, and pushing these theories into new territory.

More information about the Erwin Schrödinger Center for Quantum Science & Technology (ESQ) Discovery Programme can be found here: https://www.oeaw.ac.at/esq/home.

Elena awarded “Ho una laurea nella manica” prize

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Elena has been awarded the prize “Ho una laurea nella manica” established by her hometown for young people who graduated cum laude in 2020.

In the last few years the town of Spinea (Ve) established a prize for young students who got excellent results at University. Elena Poli was awarded the prize “Ho una laurea nella manica” for her master degree with honours at the University of Padova in 2020. There, she completed her bachelor and master degrees and she had the opportunity to work on her master thesis about “Quantum droplets and bright solitons in mixtures of Bose-Einstein condensates” under the supervision of Prof. Francesco Ancilotto.

Innizer Prize for Francesca Ferlaino

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Francesca Ferlaino has been awarded the Cardinal Innitzer Prize for Natural Sciences 2021 last weekend in Vienna for her outstanding achievements in the field of ultracold quantum gases. Her pioneering work with lathanoid atoms has been internationally groundbreaking in this field.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn awarded 26 scientists with the Cardinal Innitzer Prize at the Archbishop’s Palace in Vienna on Saturday. This year, due to the cancellation of last year’s award ceremony caused by the pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 prizes were awarded together. Named after Vienna Archbishop Cardinal Theodor Innitzer (1875-1955), the science prize is one of the most prestigious awards of its kind in Austria. It has been awarded by the Archdiocese of Vienna since 1962 and is supported by the Federal Ministry of Science, several provinces, as well as banks, insurance companies and the Chamber of Commerce. The list of laureates reads like a “who’s who” of Austrian science.

Francesca Ferlaino was awarded this year’s Cardinal Innitzer Prize for Natural Sciences for her pioneering work with ultracold quantum gases. Her work with lathanoid atoms was particularly highlighted. “As a scientist, you have made a difference when others jump on the bandwagon – nowadays, more and more physicists around the world are working with precisely these atoms. It is therefore no exaggeration to say that Ferlaino has done true pioneering work,” said laudator Ulrike Diebold from TU Wien.

Elected member of the ÖAW

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In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Francesca Ferlaino was elected a Corresponding Member of the Mathematical and Natural Sciences Class of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) strengthens its ranks with 31 newly elected members. In this year’s elections, 19 female and 12 male researchers from a wide variety of disciplines in the humanities, social and cultural sciences as well as mathematics, natural and technical sciences were awarded membership in the ÖAW for their outstanding scientific achievements. Francesca Ferlaino’s research explores quantum phenomena in atomic gases at ultralow temperatures with contributions spanning topics including quantum matter of atoms and molecules and few-body and scattering physics. Her work has earned her multiple awards, including the prestigious Feltrinelli Prize, the Grand Prix de Physique “Cécile-DeWitt Morette/École de Physique des Houches” from the French Academy of Sciences, the Junior BEC Award, and the Erwin Schrödinger Prize, the highest award of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In addition, she is recipient of an Alexander-von-Humboldt Professorship, a START-Prize and two ERC Grants (Starting and Consolidator).

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