NCTS-iTHEMS Joint Workshop on Matters to Spacetime: Symmetries and Geometry on August 26, 2024

The 1st NCTS-iTHEMS Joint Workshop was held from August 26th to August 29th, 2024, at the National Center for Theoretical Sciences (NCTS), National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. The event was co-hosted by NCTS and RIKEN's Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS) program. A total of around 50 participants from Japan and from Taiwan attended the workshop.

The workshop aimed to foster collaboration in the fields of condensed matter physics and quantum gravity, bringing together experts to share the latest research developments, explore interdisciplinary connections, and identify opportunities for joint projects. It marked the launch of an annual series of joint workshops between NCTS and iTHEMS, with alternating hosts.

The program alternated in each session on one day between condensed matter physics and quantum gravity topics to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. This alternating format encouraged researchers to engage with ideas outside their primary field, stimulating innovative approaches and broadening the scope for joint research. The four-day workshop included 23 talks, covering a range of topics such as topological superconductors, twisted bilayer graphene, quantum holography, and string theory.

Some afternoon sessions were dedicated to informal discussions, promoting interdisciplinary exchange between participants. Researchers had the opportunity to explore potential collaborations, exchange ideas on shared problems, and identify future research directions.

The 1st NCTS-iTHEMS Joint Workshop fostered collaboration between condensed matter physicists and quantum gravity theorists. By alternating topics each day, the workshop created a dynamic environment where researchers from both fields could engage with each other’s ideas, leading to cross-disciplinary innovations and future collaborative efforts.

The next iTHEMS- NCTS Joint Workshop will be held in RIKEN Wako campus in 2025, with iTHEMS serving as the host. The long-term objective is to continue this tradition of interdisciplinary exchange, ensuring the involvement of a diverse set of researchers and further strengthening the research connections between NCTS and iTHEMS.

Reported by Ching-Kai Chiu