We are excited to announce the TSVP Thematic Program "Generalized Symmetries in Quantum Matter". The program will run from May 12 to July 5, 2025.
A symposium connected to the program will be held from June 16-21, 2025: Symposium: Aspects of Generalized Symmetries
Title: Generalized Symmetries in Quantum Matter
Theme of the program: Symmetry is the structural framework shaping modern physics. It plays a central role at all scales, from classifying different fundamental particles and forces in the universe to governing the complex collective behavior of interacting quantum systems. Recently, new types of symmetries have been discovered in several disparate fields of physics. Such symmetries are collectively called "generalized symmetries," and they are pivotal in many exotic physical phenomena. In this program, we aim to bring together researchers from those fields, including condensed matter, high energy, and quantum information, as well as pure mathematics, to address new challenges in the rapidly burgeoning field of generalized symmetries.
Topics covered by this thematic program:
- Modulated symmetries and fractons
- Higher-form and categorical symmetries in gauge theories and topological phases
- Exotic symmetries and their anomalies in quantum magnetism
- Categorical symmetries and dualities in lattice systems, including synthetic quantum matter
- New symmetry constraints on quantum dynamics and open quantum systems
- Perspectives on quantum information from novel symmetries
The program will include the following activities:
- Starting the week of May 26, there will be roughly 3 seminars per week, each in the afternoon. Each seminar will have a corresponding morning pedagogical talk, aimed at non-specialists, which will introduce a topic or problem that is important for the afternoon seminar.
- Starting May 16, there will be weekly Coffee Time in the Visiting Program area (L5EF03) on Fridays at 13:00. Anyone who wishes to chat with program visitors is welcome, with students particularly encouraged to ask questions.
- A symposium, Symposium: "Aspects of Generalized Symmetries" running from June 16-20.
- Weekly brainstorming sessions (timing TBD)
- A career talk, tentatively scheduled for May 23, given by Prof. Danny Bulmash (United States Naval Academy), entitled "Why Work at an Undergraduate Institution? And How Do You Get There?"
- Two general-audience talks, one by Prof. Masaki Oshikawa (University of Tokyo) tentatively titled "Symmetries in Physics: The Old and The New" and one by Zhu-Xi Luo (Georgia Tech) tentatively titled "From Quantum Matter to Quantum Hardware."
Program coordinators
Danny Bulmash (United States Naval Academy)
Abhinav Prem (Institute for Advanced Study)
Masahito Yamazaki (The University of Tokyo)
Han Yan (The University of Tokyo)
Yizhi You (Northeastern University)