Professor
Quantum Matter
I am interested in…
What are you working on?
I am interested in how new materials can be exploited for energy-efficient applications, mostly in the context of information technology – think new forms of logic and computer memories. My field of research, called “spintronics”, does this by using a quantum property of electrons, called “spin”. The spin gives electrons a built-in magnetic moment which may be used to store and transmit information. What I like about spintronics is that it combines fundamental research, done by theorists like myself, with applications. In one of our recent projects, for example, we proposed how to mimic a black-hole horizon using spintronic materials. The results of this project are two-fold: on the one hand, it teaches us about fundamental aspects of black-hole physics; on the other, it could pave the way for practical applications of black-hole physics! It is precisely this strong connection between fundamental and applied research which I like.
What does the DRSTP mean for you?
The DRSTP is the place to meet fellow theoretical physicist. Though the word “networking” sometimes has a negative connotation within academic physics, it is at the events of the DRSTP where I met fellow PhD students while doing my PhD. With one of them, I wrote my first article without involvement of my supervisor!
What interests do you have apart from you research?
I like cycling, playing guitar and drums, listening to music and going to concerts, and reading.