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: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:20261218T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260913T000000 CATEGORIES:Follow-on DESCRIPTION:\n KITP invites researchers who participated in its calendar year2025 programs to apply to visit again\, in order to pursue ideas spa rked at KITP. The goal is to support collaborative efforts that might be brought to fruition through a brief\, focused return. Visits must be fo r one complete business week (Sunday - Friday)\, with all group members in residence for the entire period.\n Groups of 2-6 members wishing to d evelop projects arising from 2025 programs may apply to visit for 1 full business week between September 13 and December 18\, 2026.A proposal co nsists of 1-2 pages explaining(1) the scientific motivation for the coll aboration andsummary of your work to dateon it\, (2) each group member's role\, and (3) what you hope to achieve during your week at KITP.\n App lying consists of two steps:\n 1. One collaboratormust serve as KITP's p rimary point of contact and\n submit the group's proposal.\n 2. Each mem ber of the proposed group must also fill out a brief online application by by clicking "apply" on this page'sright-hand toolbar.\n The submissio n deadline is April 15\, 2026.\n For those invited to participate\, KITP will directly pay for campus housing and provide office space in Kohn H all. KITP does not provide family housing for Follow-ons. Visitors will be fully responsible for travel\, meals\, and any other expenses.\n *Not e:Due to UCSB holidays\, Kohn Hall will be unstaffed November 11\, 26\, and 27. Visitors will still have access to all KITP facilities. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/followon26b SUMMARY:Follow-on Program: September - December 2026 ORGANIZER: LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P12960000D 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:20270528T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270104T000000 CATEGORIES:Follow-on DESCRIPTION:\n KITP invites researchers who participated in its AY 2025-2 6programs to apply to visit again\, in order to pursue ideas sparked at KITP. The goal is to support collaborative efforts that might be brought to fruition through a brief\, focused return. Visits must be for one co mplete business week\, with all group members in residence for the entir e period.\n Groups of 2-6 members wishing to develop projects arising fr om AY 2025-26programs may apply to visit for 1 full business week betwee n January 4 and May 28\, 2027.\n A proposal consists of 1-2 pages explai ning(1) the scientific motivation for the collaboration andsummary of yo ur work to dateon it\, (2) each group member's role\, and (3) what you h ope to achieve during your week at KITP.\n Applying consists of two step s:\n 1. One collaboratormust serve as KITP's primary point of contact an dsubmit the group's proposal.\n 2. Each member of the proposed group mus t also fill out a brief online application by by clicking "Apply" on thi s page'sright-hand toolbar.\n The submission and applicationdeadline is September 15\, 2026.\n For those invited to participate\, KITP will dire ctly pay for campus housing and provide office space in Kohn Hall. KITP does not provide family housing for Catalyst Weeks. Visitors will be ful ly responsible for travel\, meals\, and any other expenses.\n *Note:Due to UCSB holidays\, Kohn Hall will be unstaffed Monday\, Jan. 18 andMonda y\, Feb. 15. On those weeks\, visitors can check into their housing on S unday and start their work in Kohn Hall on Tuesday. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/followon27a SUMMARY:Catalyst Weeks: January - May 2027 ORGANIZER: LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P9507600D 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: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: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: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: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:20270820T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270719T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Ami S. Bhatt ATTENDEE:Otto X. Cordero ATTENDEE:Roberto Kolter ATTENDEE:and Ned Wingreen DESCRIPTION:Microbial populations are not uniform masses of identical cel ls. Even genetically identical bacteria display remarkable diversity in behavior and function\, which can be mechanistically driven by epigeneti c switches\, DNA inversions\, and other types of phase variation. This p henotypic heterogeneity underlies bet-hedging\, division of labor\, and collective behaviors that define microbial life\, and may hold clues to the origins of multicellularity. Nowhere is this more consequential than in biofilms\, where bacteria embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix organize spatially\, cooperate metabolically\, and coordinate res ponses to environmental change.This program will ask: What rules govern phase variation and phenotypic diversity? How does heterogeneity emerge spatially within biofilms? How do physical properties of the extracellu lar matrix feed back on cellular differentiation? And how might these me chanisms illuminate the transition to multicellular life? Advances in DN A/RNA sequencing\, spatial transcriptomics\, single-cell methods\, and m athematical modeling now make these questions tractable across scales\, ranging from individual genetic switches to population-level collective behavior.The program will be complemented by the Santa Barbara Advanced Schoo of Quantitative Biology Summer Research Course for graduate studen ts and postdocs\, "Quantitative Microbiology across Scales". Summer cour se details and application will be online in October 2026. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/biofilms27 SUMMARY:Microbial Heterogeneity: From Genetic Switches to Collective Beha vior in Biofilms ORGANIZER:Ami S. Bhatt, Otto X. Cordero, Roberto Kolter, and Ned Wingreen LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P25920000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270923T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270802T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Sukanya Chakrabarti ATTENDEE:Dan Huber ATTENDEE:Lina Necib ATTENDEE:and Robyn Sanderson DESCRIPTION:Recent innovations in stellar and galactic dynamics have open ed transformative new approaches to probing dark matter through its grav itational influence. Direct acceleration measurements now allow us to co nstrain the Galactic gravitational field without assuming equilibrium\, a paradigm shift from traditional kinematic methods. Stellar streams fro m disrupted globular clusters and dwarf galaxies serve as sensitive dete ctors of both the large-scale gravitational potential and small-scale da rk matter substructure. With unprecedented datasets arriving from Gaia D R4\, Rubin LSST\, Roman\, NANOGrav\, and next-generation spectrographs\, we are poised to translate these dynamical innovations into robust cons traints on dark matter's particle nature.Realizing this promise requires bridging communities that have traditionally operated in isolation. The relevant physics spans enormous ranges in scale\, from particle interac tions to binary star orbits to globular cluster evolution to galactic ti des\, and the expertise needed to connect these scales is distributed ac ross distinct research communities with different languages\, assumption s\, and numerical tools. This program intends to unite these communities to establish shared vocabulary\, benchmarks\, and collaborative strateg ies. Our goal is to ensure that astrophysicists receive specific observa tional signatures predicted by different dark matter models\, while prov iding particle theorists with a clear understanding of the capabilities and limitations of current dynamical observation\, and collaborate on a unified picture of dark matter class constraints. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/dmprobes27 SUMMARY:Probing Dark Matter with Innovations in Stellar and Galactic Dyna mics ORGANIZER:Sukanya Chakrabarti, Dan Huber, Lina Necib, and Robyn Sanderson LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P25315200D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20271021T235959 DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20270823T000000 CATEGORIES:Program ATTENDEE:Erez Berg ATTENDEE:Charlotte Boettcher ATTENDEE:Mark Rudner ATTENDEE:Roser Valenti ATTENDEE:and Andrea Young DESCRIPTION:Quantum materials host some of the most interesting states of matter known to physics\, including unconventional superconductors\, ma gnets\, and topologically ordered phases. They offer a rich\, highly tun able environment for both fundamental physics and potential technologica l applications. Yet\, their inherent complexity makes understanding them challenging. A new generation of experimental probes is now opening new windows into these systems. Nonlinear and terahertz spectroscopies reve al collective excitations invisible to conventional measurements. Qubit- based sensors exploit quantum coherence to probe matter at microwave and THz frequencies. Scanning probes–from superconducting quantum interfere nce devices to nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond and the quantum twist ing microscope–provide real-space\, nanoscale access to correlated and t opological phases. This program will pursue outstanding open questions: What are the defining signatures of electronic collective modes in novel correlated materials? Can fractionalization in quantum spin liquids be unambiguously detected? What new electronic and magnetic orders–includin g fractional anomalous Chern insulators and altermagnets–remain to be di scovered and characterized? A central goal is to forge a tight theory–ex periment loop: using new probes to answer theoretical questions\, while developing the theoretical framework needed to connect experimental sign als to microscopic physics. URL:https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/qmaterials27 SUMMARY:Quantum Materials: New Phenomena\, New Probes ORGANIZER:Erez Berg, Charlotte Boettcher, Mark Rudner, Roser Valenti, and Andrea Young LOCATION:KITP BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:+P25920000D DESCRIPTION:application/registration deadline! END:VALARM END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR