Colloquium Today

ICTP is very pleased to welcome Frank Wilczek to give an ICTP Online Colloquium this coming Monday, 8 March, 2021, at 14:00. The distinguished physicist, Nobel Laureate, author, and intellectual adventurer will speak on "Time Crystals: Past, Present, and Future."

Wilczek is currently the Herman Feshbach professor of physics at MIT in Boston, USA; Founding Director of the T. D. Lee Institute and Chief Scientist at Wilczek Quantum Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China; Distinguished Professor at Arizona State University in Tempe, USA; and Professor at Stockholm University, in Stockholm, Sweden.

Wilczek has made seminal contributions to fundamental particle physics, cosmology and the physics of materials. His current research focus includes axions, anyons, and time crystals. These are concepts in physics which he named and pioneered, and each has become a major focus of world-wide research. In recent years Frank has become fascinated with prospects for expanding perception through technology. He is developing hardware and software tools for this. He has authored several well-known books, and writes a monthly "Wilczek's Universe" feature for the Wall Street Journal. His latest book, “Fundamentals”, was released to wide acclaim in January 2021.

The Colloquium is open to all, with pre-registration here. The event will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

Abstract: I will start by discussing the concept of time crystals and reviewing, from a new perspective, some classic realizations of it. Then I will discuss recent experimental and theoretical work that brings in promising new ideas. Finally, I will discuss some exploratory ideas about the meaning of time in quantum theory, including the flow of time within “stationary” states.