BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID;X-RICAL-TZSOURCE=TZINFO:-//com.denhaven2/NONSGML ri_cal gem//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID;X-RICAL-TZSOURCE=TZINFO:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T020000 RDATE:20260308T020000 RDATE:20270314T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20261101T020000 RDATE:20261101T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260716T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260511T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Aparna Baskaran ATTENDEE:Valentina Ros ATTENDEE:Grégory Schehr ATTENDEE:Julien Tailleur ATTENDEE:and Francesco Zamponi DESCRIPTION:Recent years have witnessed significant advances in non-equil ibrium statistical mechanics\, which has led to rapid progress in a vari ety of fields ranging from soft and active matter to molecular biophysic s\, ecology\, and genetics. Notably\, developments in large deviation th eory\, stochastic processes\, high-dimensional dynamics\, and optimizati on promise to push these advancements even further when integrated with insights tailored to the specific questions within each field.The object ive of this program is to apply these powerful concepts to evolutionary dynamics\, population dynamics\, and active matter\, and to explore the cross-fertilization between these areas. Some of the questions we aim to discuss during the program include: How can evolutionary dynamics benef it from paradigms developed within active matter to incorporate physical space and environmental heterogeneity? Conversely\, how can active matt er leverage the language of networks and high-dimensional dynamics\, wel l-developed in evolutionary dynamics\, to capture the hierarchical organ ization that leads to emergent phenomena of interest? Furthermore\, how might recent advances in large deviation theory and optimization in hig h-dimensional spaces be integrated into this interdisciplinary study?By addressing these questions\, the program aims to foster a deeper underst anding and uncover new insights into the complex behaviors and dynamics across these fields. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/complexsys26 SUMMARY:New Trends in Non-equilibrium Dynamics ORGANIZER:Aparna Baskaran, Valentina Ros, Grégory Schehr, Julien Tailleur , and Francesco Zamponi LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P35078400D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260716T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260622T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Karen Alim ATTENDEE:Naama Brenner ATTENDEE:Arvind Murugan ATTENDEE:and Jen Schwarz DESCRIPTION:Our brains are remarkable examples of learning systems. But l earning is a potentially broader metaphor\, applicable to physical and b iological phenomena that may not involve neurons at all. This program pu ts forward the nontrivial hypothesis that learning can be a useful frame work to organize questions about a broad range of systems that acquire f unctional behaviors by accumulating incremental changes due to environme ntal stimuli over their history. These examples range from reconfigurati on of vasculature networks in slime mold and changed behaviors in ciliat es and other single celled organisms in response to structured environme ntal stimuli\, to the generation of broadly neutralizing antibodies in t he adaptive immune system. Minimal systems that have provided insight in to possible mechanisms for such `physical learning’ include mechanical a nd molecular systems that learn to deploy specific elastic\, phase separ ation or self-assembly behaviors. In these and other examples\, systems adapt locally but confer global function.Despite the recent proliferatio n of examples\, the unifying key principles of such adaptive processes h ave not yet been distilled. In parallel\, the theory of learning is unde rgoing an accelerated development propelled by machine learning. This pr ogram will bring together physicists\, biologists and neuroscientists to refine key questions–what kinds\, or classes\, of natural local process es in different physical and biological systems allow them to learn? Wha t kinds of statistical structure in environmental stimuli can be learned by a given physical system? What physical properties and architectures allow for learning more complex internal models of complex environments (expressivity)? URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/brainless26 SUMMARY:Biological Learning without a Brain ORGANIZER:Karen Alim, Naama Brenner, Arvind Murugan, and Jen Schwarz LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P36892800D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260820T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260720T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Dominique Bergmann ATTENDEE:Fridtjof Brauns ATTENDEE:and Stefano Di Talia DESCRIPTION:How do living organisms reliably build complex structures fro m single cells\, despite the variability of their components and environ ments? What determines the emergence of organized patterns\, the timing of developmental transitions\, or the reproducibility of shape across in dividuals and species? While genetics has revealed many of the molecular players involved\, the fundamental principles that govern the transform ation from cell to tissue to organism remain elusive. Developmental syst ems exhibit remarkable coordination across scales&mdash\;from gene expre ssion to mechanical forces to tissue geometry&mdash\;but how these level s interact to produce robust morphogenesis is still not well understood. This program will bring together experimentalists and theoreticians to work towards uncovering unifying rules of development and building bridg es between distinct biological systems. Central topics include how geome try and mechanical feedback influence growth and differentiation\; how c ell identities emerge from high-dimensional gene expression landscapes\; and how large-scale coordination is achieved in development\, regenerat ion\, and repair. By comparing independently evolved systems across the animal and plant kingdoms\, this program seeks to uncover shared strateg ies in developmental biology and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. The program will be complemented by the QBio Summer Research Course for graduate students and postdocs\, training the next generation of scient ists in cutting-edge tools and concepts in quantitative developmental bi ology. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/morpho26 SUMMARY:Geometry and Intercellular Interactions in Morphogenesis of Anima ls and Plants ORGANIZER:Dominique Bergmann, Fridtjof Brauns, and Stefano Di Talia LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P26784000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261008T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260727T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Eliska Greplova ATTENDEE:Hsin-Yuan (Robert) Huang ATTENDEE:Di Luo ATTENDEE:Xiao-Liang Qi ATTENDEE:and Yi-Zhuang You DESCRIPTION:Simulating quantum many-body systems represents one of the ce ntral challenges in theoretical physics due to the exponential growth of computational complexity in high-dimensional Hilbert spaces. While sign ificant progress has been made using specialized frameworks for specific regimes\, we still lack a comprehensive approach that effectively conne cts these various methods and synergizes experimental data with computat ional results. Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence\, particu larly in machine learning and large language models\, offer promising ne w pathways for representing quantum states\, analyzing complex data\, an d automating aspects of both experimental and theoretical research.This program aims to explore the intersection of AI and quantum matter across three key areas: machine learning simulations of quantum many-body grou nd states and dynamics\; AI-assisted quantum control and automation\; an d machine learning methods for analyzing quantum data. By bringing toget her quantum physicists\, computer scientists\, and experimentalists\, we intend to advance neural network-based wavefunction representations\, d evelop frameworks for sharing pre-trained quantum automation models\, es tablish cross-platform experimental databases\, create AI research assis tants for specialized tasks\, and design quantum learning algorithms wit h theoretical guarantees. Through these collaborative efforts\, we seek to forge new connections between AI and quantum physics that can drive t ransformative progress in understanding quantum matter. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/aiqmatter26 SUMMARY:AI for Quantum Matter ORGANIZER:Eliska Greplova, Hsin-Yuan (Robert) Huang, Di Luo, Xiao-Liang Q i, and Yi-Zhuang You LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P26784000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261022T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260824T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Immanuel Bloch ATTENDEE:Dan Mao ATTENDEE:Titus Neupert ATTENDEE:Pedram Roushan ATTENDEE:and Ady Stern DESCRIPTION:Fractionalization&mdash\;the emergence of low-energy excitati ons carrying fractional quantum numbers of the underlying particles&mdas h\;stands at the frontier of modern condensed matter physics. First stud ied in the context of spin-charge separation in Luttinger liquids and fr actionally charged excitations in fractional quantum Hall systems\, thes e ideas have evolved into the more general notion of topological order w ith important implications for quantum computing. Recent experimental br eakthroughs have expanded the landscape where fractionalization can be o bserved and manipulated which span both traditional condensed matter pla tforms and engineered quantum simulators. These diverse systems have rev ealed rich phenomena including anyonic quasiparticles and quantum Hall p hases in the absence of a magnetic field.These rapid experimental advanc es call for enhancing the theoretical framework to understand fractional ization in these new contexts\, including ideas like generalized symmetr ies and routes to preparing various fractionalized states. The program w ill bring together the community of quantum materials and quantum simula tions and gather expertise in analytical modeling\, numerical simulation \, and experimental techniques. By merging insights from different commu nities\, this program seeks to develop a comprehensive framework to simu late\, control\, and understand fractionalized excitations across divers e systems. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/frac26 SUMMARY:Engineering Fractionalization in Quantum Many-Body Systems: From New Quantum Materials to Quantum Simulators ORGANIZER:Immanuel Bloch, Dan Mao, Titus Neupert, Pedram Roushan, and Ady Stern LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P26784000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260903T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260831T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Immanuel Bloch ATTENDEE:Titus Neupert ATTENDEE:Pedram Roushan ATTENDEE:and Ady Stern DESCRIPTION:Fractionalization is now being explored in a wide variety of platforms&mdash\;from layered materials to programmable quantum devices. This conference explores how fractionalized states emerge from microsco pic physics\, what techniques can reliably detect and manipulate them\, and how insights from different experimental platforms can inform one an other. Topics will include fractionalization arising from geometric fru stration in magnetic and other systems\, detection and control of anyons across diverse platforms including fractional quantum Hall states\, fra ctional Chern insulators and quantum simulators\, and novel phenomena in systems beyond conventional gapped phases\, such as fractons and gaples s fractionalized states.This conference will hold a poster session all p osters are welcome. Each poster board is 4 feet high x 6 feet wide. We a sk that the posters be no larger than 44 inches high x 34 inches wide at the most (it is important to follow these measurements or posters may b e turned down due to limited space). URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/frac-c26 SUMMARY:Bridging Platforms: Exploration and Control of Fractionalized Sta tes ORGANIZER:Immanuel Bloch, Titus Neupert, Pedram Roushan, and Ady Stern LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260928T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Eliska Greplova ATTENDEE:Hsin-Yuan (Robert) Huang ATTENDEE:and Di Luo DESCRIPTION:This conference brings together researchers exploring the fro ntier where artificial intelligence meets quantum physics. As quantum si mulation faces exponential complexity challenges\, AI approaches offer e xciting new possibilities. This conference examines how machine learning can represent quantum states\, optimize quantum control protocols\, and extract meaningful insights from experimental data. By uniting quantum physicists\, computer scientists\, and experimentalists\, we aim to harn ess AI's capabilities to navigate high-dimensional Hilbert spaces\, auto mate research tasks\, and develop more effective frameworks for understa nding quantum matter. Our discussions will bridge many directions such a s neural network quantum representations\, reinforcement learning for qu antum control\, and quantum learning theory\, fostering interdisciplinar y collaborations that push the boundaries of both fields. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/aiqmatter-c26 SUMMARY:Artificial Intelligence at the Quantum Frontier ORGANIZER:Eliska Greplova, Hsin-Yuan (Robert) Huang, and Di Luo LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261218T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261026T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Francois Foucart ATTENDEE:Raffaella Margutti ATTENDEE:Philipp Moesta ATTENDEE:and Rebecca Surman DESCRIPTION:The detection of bright electromagnetic (EM) transients power ed by neutron star mergers\, supernovae\, and other extreme astrophysica l events associated with compact objects will play a major role in nucle ar astrophysics in the coming years. These events act as cosmic laborato ries allowing us to study the properties of high-density matter and the origin of heavy elements. Transients may even reveal particle physics b eyond the standard model in conditions that we cannot probe on Earth. Th e rapidly growing number and variety of observed EM transients now regul arly challenge our incomplete theoretical understanding of the transient sky. These limitations inhibit our ability to leverage transient obse rvations for high-energy and nuclear astrophysics. Despite significant i mprovements to the numerical accuracy and microphysics of numerical simu lations\, the impact of nuclear physics inputs\, approximate physical mo deling\, and the large range in spatial scales and timescales that need to be resolved remain major issues. This program will address these issu es with an interdisciplinary group of nuclear\, theoretical\, computatio nal physicists and astronomers as we prepare for a new era of EM discove ry and anticipated experiments on exotic nuclei. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/explode26 SUMMARY:Enigmatic Explosions: Observations\, Modelling\, and Microphysics of Extreme Transients ORGANIZER:Francois Foucart, Raffaella Margutti, Philipp Moesta, and Rebec ca Surman LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P31622400D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261203T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261026T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Anastasia Borschevsky ATTENDEE:Tijs Karman ATTENDEE:Hossein Sadeghpour ATTENDEE:and Michal Tomza DESCRIPTION:Ultracold molecules is a broad and rapidly developing researc h field at the intersection of disciplines in physics\, including atomic and molecular physics\, quantum optics\, quantum many-body physics\, qu antum information and simulation\, precision spectroscopy\, physics beyo nd the standard model\, scattering theory\, and quantum chemistry. The r ich molecular internal structures combined with long-range intermolecula r interactions and full controllability of quantum states at ultralow te mperature are both blessings and challenges. To explore the potential of ultracold molecules\, physics at very different energy\, time\, and len gth scales spanning many orders of magnitude must be addressed. Because of the complex and multiscale nature of this research field\, interdisci plinary and collaborative approaches are necessary to produce truly uniq ue practical opportunities for quantum science and technology\, from fun damental physics and testing predictions of the Standard Model\, through quantum-controlled chemical reactions\, to quantum computing and quantu m simulation.This program will explore investigations and applications o f ultracold molecules in all their intricacy and diversity. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/ultracold26 SUMMARY:Ultracold Molecules for Fundamental Physics\, Controlled Chemistr y\, and Quantum Information ORGANIZER:Anastasia Borschevsky, Tijs Karman, Hossein Sadeghpour, and Mic hal Tomza LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P31622400D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261105T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261102T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Anastasia Borschevsky ATTENDEE:Tijs Karman ATTENDEE:and Hossein Sadeghpour DESCRIPTION:In the last few years\, the field of ultracold molecules has blossomed.The recent observations of Bose–Einstein condensation and dege nerateFermi gases of dipolar molecules fulfill a long-standing goal purs uedsince the first production of ultracold polar molecules in theirgroun d quantum states nearly two decades ago.Unprecedented quantum control ov er state-to-state chemical reactions has been achieved. Molecular qubits based on polar molecules in optical tweezers have joined the race towar ds building scalable and useful quantum computers. First solid-state ins pired spin models with ultracold polar molecules in optical lattices hav e been realized. Laser-coolable radioactive and polyatomic molecules pro mise to test predictions of the Standard Model. This conference will gat her experimentalists and theoreticians who have contributed to these dev elopments and will reach beyond the traditional AMO community to broaden the perspective on applications in quantum many-body physics and emergi ng molecular quantum technologies. The conference will also identify new research directions that can emerge from recent developments. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/ultracold-c26 SUMMARY:Quantum Science and Technology with Ultracold Molecules ORGANIZER:Anastasia Borschevsky, Tijs Karman, and Hossein Sadeghpour LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2595600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270311T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270104T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Greg Bryan ATTENDEE:Christoph Pfrommer ATTENDEE:Mateusz Ruszkowski ATTENDEE:and Ellen Zweibel DESCRIPTION:Cosmic rays (CRs)&mdash\;the most energetic particles in the Universe&mdash\;have recently emerged as an essential agent shaping dive rse astrophysical systems. Interactions between CRs and plasma exhibit p arallels across the interstellar (ISM)\, circumgalactic (CGM)\, and intr acluster (ICM) media. Advancing our understanding of these key but incom pletely understood processes\, particularly CR transport\, is essential for assessing the impact of CRs across these environments.This program w ill strengthen connections between distinct scientific communities study ing CRs across scales&mdash\;from the solar wind to galaxy clusters&mdas h\;with an emphasis on CR-plasma interactions. Although these communitie s are grounded in shared physical principles\, they have largely evolved in parallel. The program will promote dialogue between these groups to deepen understanding of CRs' role in shaping diverse astrophysical syste ms.The program will examine the following themes: CRs in turbulent plasm as: How do CR-driven instabilities\, wave damping\, and intermittent tur bulence regulate CR transport?CRs in the ISM: How do supernovae accelera te CRs\, and how do CRs shape ISM chemistry and star formation?CR feedba ck in galaxies and clusters: How do CRs from supernovae and black hole j ets drive galactic winds and shape the CGM and ICM? Astrophysical tests of CR transport: How can modeling of individual objects (supernovae\, st ar clusters\, radio filaments\, galaxies) constrain CR physics? Solar en ergetic particles: How do we model and constrain particle acceleration a nd solar wind-ISM interactions? Laboratory tests: How can laser plasma e xperiments inform CR propagation and acceleration models? URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/cosmicrays27 SUMMARY:Cosmic Rays in Astrophysical Systems: From the Sun to Galaxies an d Beyond ORGANIZER:Greg Bryan, Christoph Pfrommer, Mateusz Ruszkowski, and Ellen Z weibel LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P34646400D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270225T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270104T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Thomas Hartman ATTENDEE:Alexandre Homrich ATTENDEE:Ian Moult ATTENDEE:and Alexander Zhiboedov DESCRIPTION:Particle physics has entered a data rich era\, with unprecede nted data sets from both collider and cosmological experiments. Using th is data to answer the biggest open questions in particle physics will re quire new ways of thinking about quantum field theory (QFT) and connecti ng it with data. While there has been tremendous recent progress in form al aspects of QFT\, much of it has been quite disconnected from experime nt. The study of detector operators\, most notably energy flux correlato rs\, has proven to be a remarkable exception. These observables\, which arise as direct theoretical models of collider experiments\, have played a crucial role in contemporary developments in formal QFT and gravity. Recently it has become possible to directly measure these observables at colliders\, leading to record precision extractions of Standard Model p arameters\, and measurements of properties of the quark gluon plasma. En ergy flow operators therefore provide a rare example of a vibrant and ti mely connection between real world phenomenology\, and advances in forma l QFT. This program will advance and build bridges between three areas: energy correlators in the collider frontier\, formal aspects of detector operators\, and their use in gravity and cosmology. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/correlators27 SUMMARY:Energy Correlators and Detector Operators: From Colliders to the Cosmos ORGANIZER:Thomas Hartman, Alexandre Homrich, Ian Moult, and Alexander Zhi boedov LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P39315600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270204T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270201T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Kyle Lee ATTENDEE:Ian Moult ATTENDEE:and David Simmons-Duffin DESCRIPTION:Energy correlators have become a central tool for connecting formal theory with experimental data. Originally developed as theoretica l models of collider measurements\, they now play a key role in precisio n extractions of Standard Model parameters\, the study of jet substructu re\, and investigations of the quark gluon plasma. At the same time\, th ey have driven major developments in quantum field theory. This conferen ce will bring together theorists\, phenomenologists\, and experimentalis ts to advance the use of energy flow observables across collider physics and formal quantum field theory. The aim is to sharpen theoretical fram eworks\, identify new measurable signatures\, and deepen the dialogue be tween these communities. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/correlators-c27 SUMMARY:Energy Correlators: From Theory to Experiment ORGANIZER:Kyle Lee, Ian Moult, and David Simmons-Duffin LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P1987200D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270225T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270222T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Greg Bryan ATTENDEE:Christoph Pfrommer ATTENDEE:Mateusz Ruszkowski ATTENDEE:and Ellen Zweibel DESCRIPTION:Cosmic rays (CRs) are a key agent shaping the evolution of a wide range of astrophysical systems\, from star formation sites to galax ies and galaxy clusters. The influence‬‭ of‬‭ CRs‬‭ depends critically‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ physics‬‭ governing‬ CR transport. However\, this physics‬‭ remains‬‭ poorly‬‭ constrained\,‬‭ both‬‭ theoretically‬‭ and‬‭ observat ionally.On the theoretical front\, significant advances have been made i n particle-in-cell simulations of CR transport\, fluid simulations isola ting key CR processes\, and cosmological simulations incorporating physi cs-informed parameterizations of CR physics. From the observational pers pective\, new data from observatories operating across the full electrom agnetic spectrum will advance our understanding of the role of CRs in sh aping astrophysical systems. In the solar neighborhood\, data from the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter offer unique insights into particle acceleration and transport in the solar wind. Complementing these effor ts\, laboratory plasma experiments are now accessing regimes relevant to CR transport\, providing independent constraints.The next decade is poi sed to revolutionize our understanding of the impact of CRs across a bro ad spectrum of astrophysical environments\, from the solar wind to galax y clusters. This conference will explore similarities and analogies betw een different physical regimes and techniques and the growing interdisci plinary connections between the plasma physics\, turbulence\, solar wind \, interstellar medium\, star formation\, high-energy astrophysics\, gal axy formation\, and laboratory astrophysics communities. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/cosmicrays-c27 SUMMARY:The Cosmic Ray Connection: From Heliospheric Plasmas to Galaxies and Clusters ORGANIZER:Greg Bryan, Christoph Pfrommer, Mateusz Ruszkowski, and Ellen Z weibel LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270227T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270227T000000 CATEGORIES:Teachers' Conference ATTENDEE:Christoph Pfrommer DESCRIPTION:Cosmic rays are high-energy charged particles that originate beyond the Solar System and travel through space at speeds close to that of light. Discovered in 1912 by Victor Hess\, they opened a new window onto the high-energy Universe and played an important role in the early development of modern particle physics. Today\, cosmic rays provide a fa scinating link between fundamental physics and astrophysics. Their study connects topics familiar from physics teaching &mdash\; such as electro magnetism\, relativity\, plasma physics\, nuclear physics\, and radiatio n processes &mdash\; to some of the most energetic phenomena in the Univ erse\, including supernova explosions\, black hole jets\, and the evolut ion of galaxies.Observations in radio and gamma-ray astronomy have shown that cosmic-ray electrons and protons produce characteristic non-therma l radiation\, allowing us to study otherwise invisible processes in spac e. Over the past decades\, theoretical and computational advances have g reatly improved our understanding of how cosmic rays are accelerated in shocks\, how they propagate through galaxies\, and how they interact wit h magnetic fields and interstellar gas. Most remarkably\, cosmic rays ar e now understood not merely as passive constituents of galaxies\, but al so as active agents that can influence the structure and evolution of en tire galaxies. By driving powerful galactic winds\, they transport energ y and matter far beyond galactic disks and play an important role in gal axy formation and feedback processes.This one-day workshop will provide a pedagogical introduction and a topical overview of cosmic rays\, with a special emphasis on connecting modern research to concepts relevant fo r physics teaching at high-school and college level.Topics will include: \nCosmic ray properties and observationsAcceleration of cosmic rays in s upernova shocksTransport of cosmic rays through galaxiesCosmic rays and their role in galaxy formationThe multi-messenger view of galaxies: from radio and gamma rays to cosmic raysThe workshop is intended for physics high-school teachers and two-year college instructors in bringing moder n astrophysics into the classroom and understanding how cosmic rays conn ect fundamental physics with the large-scale evolution of the Universe.W e expect to open registration for this conference in summer 2026. Stay t uned! URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/cosmicrayst-c27 SUMMARY:Cosmic Rays: From Their Birth Sites in Supernovae to Shaping Enti re Galaxies ORGANIZER:Christoph Pfrommer LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2937600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270422T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270301T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Iair Arcavi ATTENDEE:Jared Goldberg ATTENDEE:Ylva Götberg ATTENDEE:Andy Howell ATTENDEE:and Tomer Shenar DESCRIPTION:Understanding the evolution and deaths of massive stars is ce ntral to solving major open questions in astrophysics. Massive stars sha pe galaxies through ionizing radiation and chemical enrichment\, while t heir explosive ends inject energy and heavy elements into the interstell ar medium. Their remnants&mdash\;neutron stars and black holes&mdash\;ar e key sources of gravitational waves and high-energy phenomena. Yet\, cr ucial aspects of massive star evolution\, explosion mechanisms\, and rem nant formation remain elusive. We still lack a clear mapping between tra nsient phenomena and progenitor systems\, and a predictive framework for which stars produce which types of supernovae and which collapse direct ly to black holes. Recent advances have brought us to a pivotal moment. Time-domain surveys are capturing early-phase supernovae and revealing d ramatic late-stage behavior of progenitors. Gravitational-wave detection s are shedding light on compact object formation. Massive star surveys a re mapping the crucial role of binarity in massive star evolution and de ath. Upcoming facilities will open new discovery spaces in stellar evolu tion and explosion physics. During this program we hope to shed light on interconnected problems in the massive stars and supernovae by creating space for cross-disciplinary dialogue. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/massivestars27 SUMMARY:The Dynamic Lives and Deaths of Massive Stars ORGANIZER:Iair Arcavi, Jared Goldberg, Ylva Götberg, Andy Howell, and Tom er Shenar LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P34041600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270311T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270308T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Jared Goldberg ATTENDEE:Ylva Götberg ATTENDEE:Andy Howell ATTENDEE:Tomer Shenar ATTENDEE:and Lieke van Son DESCRIPTION:This conference is dedicated to deepening our understanding o f the complex links between the lives of massive stars and their explosi ve deaths. Massive stars are central engines of feedback in galaxies\, e nriching the interstellar medium and giving rise to compact remnants tha t power high-energy phenomena and gravitational-wave events. Yet many fu ndamental questions remain unresolved: Which stars explode as which type s of supernovae\, and which collapse directly to black holes? How do ini tial conditions shape stellar evolution\, mass loss\, and remnant format ion? And how can we connect the growing diversity of observed transients to their progenitor stars? New time-domain surveys are capturing the ea rliest stages of core-collapse\, offering insights into the final years of stellar evolution. At the same time\, gravitational-wave observatorie s are revealing the demographics of compact remnants. The next generatio n of observatories promise to expand this window even further. This conf erence aims to bring the massive stars and supernovae communities togeth er in order to identify shared challenges\, forge new connections\, and inspire joint approaches to longstanding problems. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/massivestars-c27 SUMMARY:Building Bridges Between Massive Stars and Supernovae ORGANIZER:Jared Goldberg, Ylva Götberg, Andy Howell, Tomer Shenar, and Li eke van Son LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P1987200D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270520T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270315T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Leon Balents ATTENDEE:Yi-Ting Hsu ATTENDEE:Joel Moore ATTENDEE:and Mengxing Ye DESCRIPTION:Topology and correlation-driven symmetry breaking have long s erved as powerful frameworks for classifying phases of matter in crystal s. These notions describe the microscopic behavior of quasiparticles and are manifested in macroscopic experimental observables. Recent advances in quantum geometry (QG) have sparked a renewed interest\, revealing ex citing connections between QG quantities&mdash\;such as Berry curvature and quantum metric&mdash\;and a range of electronic properties and exper imental signatures in symmetry-breaking and topological phases in correl ated systems. These insights have also underscored the interplay between QG and electronic correlations\, positioning QG as both a diagnostic to ol and a potential tuning mechanism for the realization of exotic correl ated phases. The diverse array of QG quantities defined in momentum-\, r eal-\, and generalized spaces further calls for a systematic and in-dept h investigation of their roles at the intersection of symmetry\, topolog y\, and correlation.This KITP program aims to explore:\nEstablishing mat hematical and theoretical frameworks for quantum geometric quantities at both single-electron and many-body levels.Bridging the theoretical and experimental frontiers in QG\, including identifying the experimental ob servables for generalized QG\, discovering QG-rich materials platforms\, and controlling QG via experimental knobsUnderstanding the role QG play s in correlated systems\, symmetry-broken and topological phases\, gaple ss systems\, and more\, in terms of a wide range of analytical and numer ical methods. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/qgeometry27 SUMMARY:Quantum Geometry Meets Correlation\, Symmetry Breaking\, and Topo logy ORGANIZER:Leon Balents, Yi-Ting Hsu, Joel Moore, and Mengxing Ye LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P37062000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270422T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270419T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Peter Armitage ATTENDEE:Leon Balents ATTENDEE:Liang Fu ATTENDEE:Yi-Ting Hsu ATTENDEE:and Joel Moore DESCRIPTION:Quantum geometry has led to the prediction of new phases of m atter while also clarifying the meaning of experimental observations in a wide range of materials. This conference seeks to strengthen connectio ns between experimental reality and geometrical theories of quantum many -body systems. Here we use "quantum geometry" to include not just gauge structures within the Brillouin zone of a perfect crystal but also real- space effects and the geometry of many-body Hilbert spaces. Experimental platforms realizing quantum-geometrical effects include materials as di verse as magnetic metals and van der Waals heterostructures\, as well as atomic and optically driven systems. The advent of reasonably large qua ntum computers also offers a new domain for quantum geometry. Mathematic al structures that were first applied in high-energy physics\, such as t he Chern-Simons form\, have turned out to be fundamental in the descript ion of even ``old'' condensed matter properties such as the magnetoelect ric effect of crystals. We intend for this conference to provide a snap shot of where the field currently stands and contribute to developing si milar connections across physics. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/qgeometry-c27 SUMMARY:Geometrical Aspects of Quantum Materials and Their Responses ORGANIZER:Peter Armitage, Leon Balents, Liang Fu, Yi-Ting Hsu, and Joel M oore LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270617T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270426T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Daniel Baumann ATTENDEE:Song He ATTENDEE:Hugh Thomas ATTENDEE:and Jaroslav Trnka DESCRIPTION:The last few years have seen the emergence of a new way of th inking about scattering amplitudes of particles and strings based on com binatorial and geometric ideas. Starting from the kinematic associahedra and ``surfacehedra” in the simplest toy model of colored scalars\, to t heir stringy extensions based on curves on surfaces\, to amplitudes of p ions and gluons which have revealed new features of these real-world the ories. Similar combinatorial/geometric structures have also been discove red underpinning cosmological correlators for conformally coupled scalar s. These objects have revealed profound connections between fundamental physics and new areas of mathematics at the intersection of combinatoric s\, algebra and geometry. This program will bring together physicists\, cosmologists and mathematicians\, to consolidate and synthesize these ex citing\, diverse developments and more importantly\, to tackle big open questions and explore entirely new questions. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/combgeom27 SUMMARY:Combinatorics and Geometries for Particle Physics and Cosmology ORGANIZER:Daniel Baumann, Song He, Hugh Thomas, and Jaroslav Trnka LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P37062000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270520T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270517T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Daniel Baumann ATTENDEE:Hugh Thomas ATTENDEE:and Jaroslav Trnka DESCRIPTION:In recent years\, remarkable combinatorial and geometric stru ctures were discovered in the physics of particle scattering and for cos mological correlators. Deep connections between physics and combinatoric s\, algebra and geometry have taken root and are growing rapidly. This c onference will bring together particle physicists\, cosmologists and mat hematicians with the aim of discussing major open questions and to explo re opportunities for further collaborations across the traditional bound aries of the different disciplines. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/combgeom-c27 SUMMARY:Combinatorics and Geometries of Fundamental Physics ORGANIZER:Daniel Baumann, Hugh Thomas, and Jaroslav Trnka LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270715T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270524T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Xi Dong ATTENDEE:Daniel Green ATTENDEE:Austin Joyce ATTENDEE:and Eva M Silverstein DESCRIPTION:Due to rapid progress in both quantum gravity and formal theo retical cosmology\, it is an exciting time to be working on quantum cosm ology. Some of the most exciting opportunities require combining non-per turbative insights from quantum gravity with more phenomenological devel opments in cosmology.The cosmic horizon is responsible for the origin of structure in the observed universe\, while also storing an enormous num ber of microstates. Recent work has developed increasingly sophisticated methods for calculating and characterizing perturbative and non-perturb ative aspects of the primordial probability distribution for quantum flu ctuations that freeze out at the inflationary horizon. Meanwhile\, recen t work in quantum gravity has elucidated the horizon microstructure via explicit incorporation of timelike features\, developing holography anch ored at timelike spacetime boundaries and incorporating an observer into the system. Moreover\, increasingly precise and parametric control of s tring-theoretic cosmological models can weigh in on problems in quantum gravity and phenomenology. These developments cross fertilize each othe r\, but much more can be done. This program will bring together physicis ts working from a variety of perspectives with a common goal of understa nding the quantum nature of the universe. This program aims to unite the se efforts through an immersive program that combines pedagogical lectur es and research seminars\, with the aim of building a common language an d set of goals. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/qcosmology27 SUMMARY:Quantum Cosmology: From Foundations to Observations ORGANIZER:Xi Dong, Daniel Green, Austin Joyce, and Eva M Silverstein LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P37065600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270729T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270621T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Merav Ahissar ATTENDEE:Devon Jarvis ATTENDEE:Israel Nelken ATTENDEE:Stefano Sarao Mannelli ATTENDEE:and Andrew Saxe DESCRIPTION:Understanding how biological learning processes give rise to high-level cognition&mdash\;such as reasoning\, abstraction\, and planni ng&mdash\;remains a central challenge in neuroscience. At the same time\ , statistical physics offers powerful tools for describing how complex\, organized behaviors can emerge from simple\, local interactions in larg e systems. This program will bring together researchers across neurobiol ogy\, statistical physics\, machine learning\, and cognitive science to explore how concepts from these fields can be combined to illuminate the dynamics of learning\, the formation of internal representations\, and the emergence of flexible\, structured cognition. Key questions the prog ram aims to address are: (1) How do large neural systems self-organize t o support abstraction\, reasoning\, and decision-making? (2) What statis tical principles govern learning beyond the scale of individual neurons and synapses? (3) How does biological learning leverage noise\, redundan cy\, and variability to produce stable and robust cognition? These quest ions highlight the main themes which include criticality and phase trans itions in learning systems\, the emergence of compositional and hierarch ical representations\, and statistical mechanics approaches to plasticit y\, memory\, and generalization. Overall\, the program aims to further o ur understanding of how meso-scale cognitive processes emerge through th e combination and repetition of very many micro-processes. The program w ill foster interdisciplinary collaborations to develop new frameworks th at bridge biophysics\, theory\, and behavior\, and help identify unifyin g principles underlying emergent high-level cognitive functions across s pecies and architectures. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/cognition27 SUMMARY:Statistical Physics & Neurobiology of Learning in High-Level Cogn ition ORGANIZER:Merav Ahissar, Devon Jarvis, Israel Nelken, Stefano Sarao Manne lli, and Andrew Saxe LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P37065600D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270701T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270628T000000 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTENDEE:Xi Dong ATTENDEE:Austin Joyce ATTENDEE:Edgar Shaghoulian ATTENDEE:and Eva M Silverstein DESCRIPTION:Cosmology provides a unique window into the nature of quantum gravity. Not only is cosmology a source of deep mysteries at the inters ection between quantum mechanics and gravity\, but it provides a rare op portunity to search for observational imprints of the resolution to thes e puzzles. We are entering a new era of data in cosmology\, and these qu alitatively new datasets will provide new opportunities to search for qu antum cosmological signatures. Examples include nonperturbative effects on the tail of the primordial distribution and novel forms of topology\, in addition to increasing precision on primordial gravitational waves\, power spectrum features\, and traditional forms of non-Gaussianity. Thi s conference will bring together experts from the quantum gravity\, theo retical cosmology\, and observational cosmology communities\, with the i ntent to leverage recent theoretical insights to envision new probes of the origins of the universe. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/qcosmology-c27 SUMMARY:Observing the Quantum Universe ORGANIZER:Xi Dong, Austin Joyce, Edgar Shaghoulian, and Eva M Silverstein LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P2592000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR