Research Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS)

DISTINGUISHED 2024

Professor Ulf LEONHARDT
Weizmann Institute of Science


Areas of Interest:
Transformation optics, analogue
gravity, quantum electromagnetism, quantum optics.

Professor Ulf LEONHARDT

Weizmann Institute of Science

Period of
fellowship: 3 months between February and October 2025

Quantum forces: from material science to cosmology

Quantum forces are ubiquitous in nature, but their true nature is still a mystery. This project aims at shedding light on them by combining our expertise in chemical physics, condensed-matter physics and biology with new ideas from quantum optics. Quantum forces have been known for almost a hundred years: many of the forces between electrically neutral particles and substances turned out to be caused by quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. Quantum fluctuations create the capillary forces that lift water from the ground to the leaves of plants and the van der Waals forces acting in many chemical and biological processes. In micromachinery, they cause stiction and friction, and there their manipulation in advanced materials is of great current interest. The quantum forces between pieces of material are well-understood and well-tested in experiments, but not so the quantum forces inside materials. The distinguished visitor has been a pioneer in this field and an expert on metamaterials and quantum optics. We plan to combine his and our experience to develop a workable theory of quantum forces in inhomogeneous materials. This theory will allow us to solve practical problems, and it may also shed light on one of the greatest intellectual problems of science: the nature of dark energy that causes the expansion of the universe to accelerate. This is possible, because the “material” of space acts on electromagnetic waves and their fluctuations like an ordinary material. Understanding quantum forces better in ordinary materials will also help us understanding them better in space, making this visit an exciting opportunity for research of the largest possible range, from engineering materials on the nanoscale to shedding light on dark energy in the universe.

DISTINGUISHED 2023

Professor Emeritus Masanobu TANIGUCHI
Waseda University


Areas of Interest:
Time series analysis, Mathematical Statistics, Econometrics, Financial Engineering, Information geometry.

Professor Emeritus Masanobu TANIGUCHI

Waseda University

Period of
fellowship: January – March 2024

TIMEDATA: Statistical approaches to complex time-dependent data problems

Time-dependent data, also known as temporal data, is a vital and ubiquitous aspect of various domains, including finance, economics, healthcare, weather forecasting, and social media analysis. As the availability and complexity of temporal data continue to increase, there is a growing need for adapted robust methodologies and techniques to model and analyze such data in order to extract valuable insights.

Professor Taniguchi is a world-renowned expert in the analysis of such data, specialized in time series data analysis techniques and inference for stochastic processes (modelling, estimation, hypothesis testing). Since this combined skillset is not present at the University of Luxembourg, his visit would be a unique opportunity for researchers from all Faculties and Interdisciplinary Centers to learn about these approaches through discussions with him, a short course that he will teach and a workshop, and to collaborate with him on their burning research questions. Very concretely, he will work with Prof. Ley and his team on the creation of time series models for directional data on the sphere (with applications in many domains including space science and climatology), with Prof. Tripathi and colleagues from the Department of Economics and Management on estimating and forecasting econometric models to answer policy related questions, and with Prof. Pierret and colleagues from the Department of Finance on statistical inference in financial engineering, risk analysis and portfolio management. Outside the academic world, he shall give a public talk, organized within the realm of the Luxembourg Statistical Society, on modern challenges, risks and chances related to time-dependent data, have two meetings with representatives from banks and insurance companies in Luxembourg, and solidify links with the professional Japanese community (e.g., the Embassy of Japan) in Luxembourg.

DISTINGUISHED 2022

Professor Emeritus Katharine HUNT
Michigan State University
Department of Chemistry


Areas of Interest:
Theoretical and Computational, Biological, Chemical Physics, Material,
Physical.

Professor Emeritus Katharine HUNT

Michigan State University

Period of
fellowship: September – November 2023

BioPhyCh: Intersections Between Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

Predictive understanding of functional systems in materials science, chemistry, and biology requires the development of practical approaches for modeling intermolecular forces. In this context, a key challenge is to develop accurate and efficient electronic polarization functionals applicable for a wide range of systems and that can accurately describe dispersion (van der Waals and Casimir) interactions.

The development of the corresponding new-generation first-principles methods demands combined efforts of scientists with expertise in physics, chemistry, and computer science. Prof. Katharine Hunt, a Distinguished Professor at the Michigan State University, is especially renowned for proposing revolutionary ideas in the field of electronic polarization in molecular systems. Especially known for her work in quantum chemistry, Prof. Hunt has a broad range of scientific interests and expertise including chemical physics, astronomy/astrophysics, thermodynamics, and quantum computing.

The aim of this proposal is to invite Prof. Hunt to the University of Luxembourg for three months. During her stay, intensive collaborations with several PIs and their groups are foreseen. Moreover, two public lectures will be given by Prof. Hunt, including a discussion of the challenges that female scientists face in their path towards examplary careers in physics and chemistry.

The visit of Prof. Hunt to the University of Luxembourg will be connected with the BRAINSTORM workshop “Intersections Between Quantum Fields and Quantum Chemistry” where she is one of the invited speakers. This should strengthen the efforts of this workshop to initiate an interdisciplinary collaborative work on developing robust electronic polarization functionals that would be broadly applicable for modeling complex molecules and materials.