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Giorgio Sangiovanni specializes in the computational analysis of quantum materials. He now heads the recently established Chair in Computational Quantum Materials at ct.qmat’s Würzburg branch, backed by €1.5 million in funding from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts.

The European Physical Society presented this award to celebrate the “seminal contributions to the classification, prediction, and discovery of novel topological quantum materials.” Claudia Felser is one of the 25 principal investigators of the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat.

This summer, the Hubland Campus of the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg became a hub for female quantum physicists from around the globe. From July 31 to August 2, 2023, they gathered at the behest of the Grete Hermann Network, part of the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat.

Dresden-based cluster professor Elena Hassinger has received TU Dresden’s 2023 Diversity-Aware Teaching Award for her interdisciplinary seminar “The Big Bang Theory Syndrome: Why should we care about stereotypes?” The English-language seminar aims to raise students‘ awareness of gender stereotypes, sharpen their perception, and professionalize their interactions.

In a breakthrough akin to the effects of 3D cinema, scientists are using light particles to uncover the mysteries of electron behavior and propel our understanding of quantum materials forward. These materials, rich with potential for energy-efficient electronics and cutting-edge technology of tomorrow, are distinguished by their topological properties that could rarely be measured directly – until now.

Magnetic topological insulators are an exotic class of materials that conduct electrons without any resistance at all and so are regarded as a promising breakthrough in materials science. Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat have achieved a significant milestone in the pursuit of energy-efficient quantum technologies by designing the ferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi₆Te_10.

Engaging presentations, captivating posters, and team-building exercises like the marshmallow challenge and the spaghetti tower marked the 2023 Retreat of the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, held in Bayreuth from March 20 to 22. The three days were brimming with the latest insights from the cluster areas Topological Electrons (A), Quantum Magnetism (B), and Topological Photonics (C), accompanied by many personal meetings.