The Rutgers Physics & Astronomy Newsletter       Number F26-5    2026-Oct 5

          Editor: David Vanderbilt        Publisher: Christina Pettola
Contributions should be sent to newsletter@physics.rutgers.edu


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Please RSVP for a very special evening celebrating Eva Andrei, Rutgers 
Distinguished Professor and Board of Governors Professor, and her receipt of the 
2026 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience, one of the world's highest honors in science. 
Eva is the first Rutgers professor ever to receive a Kavli Prize, recognized for 
discoveries that have transformed our understanding of the quantum properties of 
matter and opened new possibilities for the future of technology. We hope you 
will join us for an evening of big ideas, remarkable science, and a celebration 
of Eva's extraordinary contributions to Rutgers and to the world.
All are welcome. RSVP here to attend: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBTL6xKYqy5W1OpkFsrC6XYBAgAv0g79K_QUtx9LV2EhPiTA/viewform
From Fundamental Nanoscience to Transforming Lives: A Symposium Celebrating Eva Andrei and the Kavli Prize
The 25th Henry R. and Gladys V. Irons Public Lecture in Physics and Astronomy
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
6:30 PM - Welcome Reception
7:00 PM - Symposium Program
Reception to follow

Physics & Astronomy Department Welcome Party (Luncheon)
Wednesday, October 7 at 12noon to 1:30pm
Weather permitting, we will hold it on the plaza between Serin and the Physics 
Lecture Hall. Otherwise come to room 330. Food and Refreshments for all.



SEMINARS AND COLLOQUIUM:
     Seminars and colloquia are being conducted either in-person, on the web, or hybrid. 
     See below the events listing for pages giving instructions for connecting to the web seminars.

CMS  Tues Oct 6 	Justin Wilson, Louisiana State University
1:30   330W and Zoom    "Rare regions, instantons, and the fate of the Weyl node under disorder"
                        link:  https://go.rutgers.edu/a4i4dof1

HET  Tues Oct 6 	Dylan Folsom, Princeton University
2:30   385E and Zoom    "Determining the Local Dark Matter Distribution"
                        link:  https://go.rutgers.edu/pjrxfl2f

COL  Tues Oct 6       	Eva Andrei, Rutgers University
6:30   NJPAC    	Special Irons Lecture: "From Fundamental Nanoscience to Transforming Lives"

MPS  Wed Oct 7  	Daniel Fisher, Stanford University
10:45   Zoom		"Eco-Evo Dynamics, Diversification, and Red Queen Phases Near a Snowy Fitness Peak"
			link:  https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/97910952957?pwd=XaqdNJZer9Dt93nDaiKmBOb1E9otX2.1

COL  Wed Oct 7       	Yael Hanein, Tel Aviv University
3:30   330W and Zoom   	Special Irons Lecture: "Listening to the Body: Soft Electronics, Electrophysiology and the Physics of Human–Machine Interfaces"
                       	link:  https://go.rutgers.edu/26z9hrza

DELTA-P  Thurs Oct 8    Chaz Ruggieri, Rutgers University
6:00   Zoom             "Metacognition in Education"
                        link: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/93734810997?pwd=al8VOXjDHxSkYCQjv3meWbpTNIhvGY.1

SPS  Thurs Oct 8       	Sylvie Rangan, Rutgers University
6:30   330W		"On-surface synthesis: exploring a new chemical toolbox for 2D materials"


*********Partial List of Next Week's Seminars**************

HEX  Tues Oct 13	Jennet Dickinson, Cornell University
1:00   372E and Zoom   	"Smart pixels: on-chip data reduction with machine learning"
                        link:  https://go.rutgers.edu/mowjw2j0

HET  Tues Oct 13 	Christian Ferko, Northeastern University
2:30   385E and Zoom    "Neural Networks and Quantum Field Theory"
                        link:  https://go.rutgers.edu/pjrxfl2f

MPS  Wed Oct 14  	M. Cristina Marchetti, UC Santa Barbara
10:45   Zoom		"Active nematic solids and morphogenesis"
			link:  https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/97910952957?pwd=XaqdNJZer9Dt93nDaiKmBOb1E9otX2.1

IQB  Wed Oct 14       	Alisha Nicole Jones, New York University
12:00   Zoom            "The Legos of the RNA World: Engineering synthetic RNAs to control gene expression"
                        link: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/98522736773

DELTA-P  Thurs Oct 15   Chaz Ruggieri, Rutgers University
6:00   Zoom             "Affect and Social Practices"
                        link: https://rutgers.zoom.us/j/93734810997?pwd=al8VOXjDHxSkYCQjv3meWbpTNIhvGY.1

SPS  Thurs Oct 15      	A. Shadi Tahvildar-Zadeh, Rutgers University
6:30   330W		"Mathematical foundations of relativistic physics: Classical & Quantum"


***************************

The departmental calendar of colloquia and seminars is
        https://physics.rutgers.edu/events/events-calendar/

For instructions for connecting to the web seminars, see

     AST        Astrophysics Seminar                         https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/astro/seminars
     CCB        Chemistry & Chemical Biology                 https://chem.rutgers.edu/
     CMS        Condensed Matter Seminar                     https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/seminars/condensedmatter
     COL        Colloquium                                   https://physics.rutgers.edu/events/colloquium
     CQB        Center for Quantitative Biology              https://cqb.rutgers.edu/
     DELTA-P    Developing Educators and Leaders 
                       Among TAs in Physics                  https://rutgers.instructure.com/courses/321686/
     GAP        Geometry & Physics Seminar
     HET        High Energy Theory Seminar                   https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/het/seminars
     HEX        High Energy Experimental                     http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/hex/seminars
     HON        Honors Seminar
     I2I        Invitations to Industry
     IQB        Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine       https://iqb.rutgers.edu/seminars
     JPAS       Junior Physics & Astronomy Seminar
     LSM        Lab for Surface Modification                 https://lsm.rutgers.edu/events/
     MiPA/EIJC  RU Minorities in P & A /                     https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/rumipa/eijc.html
                       Equity & Inclusion Journal Club                                      
     ML         Machine Learning Group Meeting
     MPS        Mathematical Physics Seminar                 https://cmsr.rutgers.edu/newsevents-cmsr/mathematical-physics-webinar
                                                             https://cmsr.rutgers.edu/newsevents-cmsr/mathematical-physics-in-person-seminar
     MSE        Materials Science & Engineering              https://mse.rutgers.edu/
     NPS        Nuclear Physics Seminar                      https://www.physics.rutgers.edu/np/seminars
     PAER       Physics and Astronomy Education Research
     PCS        Physical Chemistry Seminar                   https://remsinglab.com/pchemseminars
     PhyLT      Physics of Learning Theory                   https://nilavam.github.io/phyML/index.html
     SIP        Seminar in Physics                           http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/grad/633/
     SPS        Society of Physics Students Talk Series      http://sps.physics.rutgers.edu/
     SSPAR      Student Seminars in P & A at Rutgers         http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/gso/SSPAR/