Quantum Connections participants from left to right: Gabriel Cardoso (Nordita), Weicen Dong (Shanghai Jiao Tong University) and Brian Gitahi (Yale/Princeton).
This summer, over 80 researchers gathered at Högberga Gård on Lidingö for Quantum Connections: a two-week summer school where students meet and learn from world-leading quantum physicists. Nordita plays an important role in organizing the event, drawing on its long experience with international scientific events and its strong ties to quantum research networks.
This year’s edition featured an exceptional line-up of lecturers, including Nobel laureates Frank Wilczek, Duncan Haldane, Giorgio Parisi and Gerard 't Hooft. It also marked the 100-year anniversary of quantum science with a special lecture and celebration on Midsummer’s Eve.
Participants talked about the value of learning directly from the researchers whose work they have been studying for years, and the opportunity to also spend time with them outside of the lecture halls.
“Here we get to hear from the people who shaped the field” says Gabriel Cordoso, a postdoctoral researcher at Nordita. “After a lecture on anyons by Steven Simon, I got to discuss with him at lunch time and he was able to give me a new perspective on some problems I have been thinking about for a long time. He was able to explain the experimental understanding in a way that a theorist like me could understand”.
“For me it is a transition point,” says Brian Gitahi, a PhD student at Yale. “I wanted to meet researchers, understand their paths, and see if many-body physics is where I want to go. You get to see the personalities and styles of leading researchers, and that they’re human, too”.
The relaxed and informal social environment is a big part of what makes the school special, and it is something the organizers work hard to create. Participants often said that chatting with the professors over a coffee or by the pool made their experience more meaningful.
“It’s not often that you get to experience things like this: it is not just about physics, you get to see that professors, even though they are very good in their field, are people too. I even asked Professor Haldane yesterday in the pool what he does outside of physics. I don’t think many people can say that they’ve had a conversation like that. I really think we are very lucky and privileged to be here” says Gitahi.
Weicen Dong, who joined from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, adds “This is my first time at a school abroad. There were several famous researchers in my field here and I wanted to talk to them and learn. One of my favorite moments was when I was able to ask all my questions to professor Kane. Before his lecture I felt that it was very difficult to understand his field but after the lecture it made sense to me. And it is very special for me to be abroad in a very different environment, I even tried swimming in cold water!”
Elizabeth Yang, local organizer at Nordita, says the secluded venue supports exactly this kind of interaction: “The setting at Högberga makes it easy for people to connect. It’s small and personal so people spend time together. You might end up in the pool or at the midsummer lunch next to a Nobel laureate”.
Quantum Connections attracts many applicants every year among top students and researchers from around the world and is an important platform where the next generation of quantum scientists can connect with each other.
Nobel laureate Duncan Haldane also shared some advice for early-career researchers entering the field today:
“Graduate students should take every chance to broaden their horizons — attend seminars, learn from different fields, and find good mentors,” he said. “Science advances by asking the right questions, and that often happens through discussions with others. Events like Quantum Connections help young researchers meet peers and senior scientists, building the networks they’ll need for their future.”
“It’s mainly for them, the young people,” says Haldane with a smile. “I’ll be gone soon anyway. They will be the ones advancing the field.”
Participants gathered for a group photo during the Midsummer celebration.
Summer school participants discussing between lectures.
