BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:icalendar-ruby CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/Vienna BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260329T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0200 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=3 TZNAME:CEST END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20261025T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0200 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYDAY=-1SU;BYMONTH=10 TZNAME:CET END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1776072600@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260413T113000 DTEND:20260413T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Giousef Alexandros Charinti & Antoine El-Hayek\nhosted by Jeroen Dobbelaere\nAbstract: Experimental research across all fields i s increasingly incorporating computing to analyze large datasets\, model m olecular dynamics\, and use AI models to identify new patterns. Whereas 10 years ago these approaches were largely limited to computer scientists\, today virtually every scientific discipline relies on computing on a daily basis. This evolution has been further accelerated by recent developments in the AI field\, which have made computing more accessible and easier to apply across different areas of research.Since experimental research alre ady has a substantial environmental footprint\, primarily from equipment and consumables\, we aimed to assess the environmental footprint of c omputing at ISTA.Mapping the use of scientific computing at ISTA\, includ ing data storage and external services\, allowed us to calculate both ener gy consumption and material footprint. Although most laboratories use scie ntific computing\, usage can vary significantly depending on the type of p roject\, leading to big asymmetries in demand. In addition to active com puting\, data storage accounts for a considerable share of the overall foo tprint. External computing services were also analyzed and are increasin gly used\, largely driven by the adoption of AI tools. We present a first estimate of the ISTA AI footprint and identify the tools most commonly use d. Although a fast-changing environment\, proper and responsible use of c omputing resources will be essential to ensure that research remains susta inable and fit for the future. LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Giousef Alexandros Charinti & Antoine El-Hayek: Environmental Footp rint of Computing\; How is ISTA Doing? URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6333 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1776157200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260414T110000 DTEND:20260414T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Elena Hassinger\nhosted by Kimberly Modic\nAbstract: A bstract:Superconductors with non-trivial pairing symmetries expand our und erstanding of correlated quantum matter and show promise for applications in quantum computing. Odd-parity superconductivity is interesting in this regard due to its robustness to magnetic field and possible topological su rface states. The phenomenon only occurs in a few materials\, the most rec ognised cases of which are strongly correlated uranium-based systems with weak ferromagnetism. Another candidate is CeRh2As2\, which exhibits a magn etic-field-induced transition between two superconducting phases\, current ly understood as states of even- and odd-parity pairing. Here\, the odd-pa rity pairing is thought to be stabilisied not by ferromagnetism\, but by t he staggered Rashba spin-orbit interaction caused by the absence of invers ion symmetry at the Ce sites. Since the tetragonal crystal structure is ce ntrosymmetric\, states of distinct parity are allowed [1\,2]. But the supe rconductivity is not the only mystery of CeRh2As2. Similarly to other unco nventional superconductors\, the material hosts a coexisting weak ordered state that can be suppressed by pressure [3-5]. Although the order paramet er is not fully identified\, internal magnetic fields are evidenced by NMR /NQR [6] and muSR [7] measurements. Intriguingly\, the transition temperat ure decreases with the out-of-plane field\, but increases strongly with th e in-plane field\, which is hard to reconcile with a simple magnetic order but can be explained by considering quadrupolar degrees of freedom [3\,8] . This unconventional magnetic state and its role for superconductivity ar e currently in the focus of research on this compound. In my talk\, I will highlight experimental results from macroscopic and microscopic measureme nts under different tuning parameters such as pressure and magnetic field\ , each nurturing our current understanding of the fascinating properties o f CeRh2As2.  References [1] S. Khim & J. Landaeta et al.\, Science 373\ , 1012–1016 (2021). [2] J. Landaeta et al.\, Phys. Rev. X 12\, 031001 ( 2022). [3] D. Hafner et al.\, Phys. Rev. X 12\, 011023 (2022). [4] M. Pf eiffer et al.\, Phys. Rev. Lett. 133\, 126506 (2024). [5] K. Semeniuk et al.\, Phys. Rev. B 110\, L100504 (2024). [6] M. Kibune et al.\, Phys. Rev . Lett. 128\, 057002 (2022).[7] S. Khim et al.\, Phys. Rev. B 111\, 11513 4 (2025).[8] B. Schmidt and P. Thalmeier\, Phys. Rev. B 110\, 075154 (202 4).  LOCATION:Office Bldg West / Ground floor / Heinzel Seminar Room (I21.EG.101 )\, ISTA ORGANIZER:Stephanie.Dolot@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Elena Hassinger: Mysteries of the two-phase superconductor CeRh2As2 URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6209 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:68dd5c2f40cb0196725380@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260414T110000 DTEND:20260414T130000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Prof. Dr. Olga Sorkine-Hornung\nhosted by Samara Ren\n Abstract: Textile materials are ubiquitous in traditional manufacturing\, and many everyday objectsmost notably garments and footwearare made of fab ric. Fabrication with textiles supplies a plethora of interesting mathemat ical and engineering problems of high importance and impact in the real wo rld\, given that textile and fashion are one of the largest industries and contributes significantly to global economy and environmental conditions. Taking the perspective of geometry processing and computer graphics\, in this talk I will discuss the interplay between the 2D nature of fabric and the goals of 3D shape modeling with such material\, focusing primarily on garment design and fabrication. I will discuss the exciting role geometri c computing can play in this domain and present some recent work of my res earch group that touches on theoretical and applied aspects of woven fabri c modeling\, garment construction and textile based fabrication. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, Central Building\, ISTA ORGANIZER:akeri@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Prof. Dr. Olga Sorkine-Hornung: Computational modeling and fabricat ion with textiles URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6364 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1776677400@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260420T113000 DTEND:20260420T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Daniel Kronauer\nhosted by Lora Sweeney\nAbstract: The colonies of social insects are complex biological systems in which manifo ld interactions between individuals give rise to emergent properties that are adaptive at the group level. However\, most social insects cannot be p ropagated in captivity or genetically manipulated\, severely limiting the scope for experimentation. The Kronauer lab is developing and utilizing th e clonal raider ant\, Ooceraea biroi\, as a new model species that overcom es many of these limitations\, allowing them to study social dynamics and underlying mechanisms under controlled laboratory conditions. Their work h as led to a deeper understanding of how ants within a colony assume distin ct behavioral roles and efficiently divide labor\, how they communicate\, both as adults and across different developmental stages\, and how these i nteractions result in collective behavior. Additionally\, their research h as shed light on how evolution has repurposed and expanded genetic\, neura l\, and physiological mechanisms from solitary ancestors to produce highly social organisms. In this seminar\, Dr. Daniel Kronauer will provide an o verview of this work and discuss future directions in his research program aimed at understanding the evolution and organization of insect societies \, spanning from genes to neural circuits and behavior. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Daniel Kronauer: The Social Behavior of Ants URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/5795 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1777282200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260427T113000 DTEND:20260427T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Carl Goodrich\nhosted by Jérémie Palacci\nAbstract: If the emergence of AI has taught us nothing else\, it is that simple func tions\, connected together at scale\, can lead to extreme emergent behavio r provided the internal settings are adjusted just so. Does this principle apply to material systems as well? Can simple\, well-understood physical interactions enable complex\, maybe even life-like behavior if tuned at sc ale? Unlike most areas of science where we are trained to reduce the param eterization of a problem\, answering such questions forces us to embrace h igh-dimensional spaces in order to understand when and where extreme behav iors emerge. I will discuss efforts within my group to understand the phys ics of highly tunable material systems. First\, I will explain how physics -imposed constraints shape design spaces of self-assembling nanostructures \, leading to a quasi-analytical description of the system’s expressiven ess. Then\, I will discuss how tunable materials can contain a physical me mory of their past. While I will initially present the concept of a physic al memory in the context of tuned disordered solids\, the resulting theory provides a general framework for predicting and understanding memory in a range of tunable systems\, and I will speculate on such connections\, fro m evolution to cellular structure\, and from machine learning to the brain . Together\, these results provide critical foundational structure for the emerging interdisciplinary field of tunable matter. LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Carl Goodrich: Tunable Matter URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6384 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1777366800@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260428T110000 DTEND:20260428T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Jean-Philippe Brantut\nhosted by Julian Leonard\nAbstr act: Abstract:Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) is one of the most powe rful framework to observe and leverage quantum phenomena. While it has bee n thoroughly studied for simple quantum systems such as two-level systems or harmonic oscillators\, it has recently become available for complex\, c orrelated quantum many-body systems. In the last years\, we have developed systems combining cavity QED with cold Fermi gases. In such a system\, v irtual photon exchanges between atoms yield a long-range interaction leadi ng to emergent phenomena. I will describe how it induces charge-density wa ve ordering\, and the deep insights on this transition provided by real-ti me measurements and high spatial resolution. I will then discuss the inter play of pairing\, Pauli blocking and light-matter interactions in this sys tem\, the status of our understanding and some open questions. Last\, I wi ll outline the perspective open for quantum simulations in this platform\, both from the conceptual and technological point of view.  LOCATION:Office Building West/Ground Floor/Heinzel Seminar Room\, ISTA ORGANIZER: SUMMARY:Jean-Philippe Brantut: Quantum Simulations with Atoms and Photons URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6210 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:684800150f201048290295@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260506T153000 DTEND:20260506T163000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Hong Wang\nhosted by Laszlo Erdös & Uli Wagner\nAbstr act: A Kakeya set is a compact subset of R^n that contains a unit line seg ment pointing in every direction. Kakeya set conjecture asserts that every Kakeya set has Minkowski and Hausdorff dimension n. We prove this conject ure in R^3 as a consequence of a more general statement about union of tub es.This is joint work with Josh Zahl. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, Central Building\, ISTA ORGANIZER:boosthui@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Hong Wang: Kakeya sets in R^3 URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6400 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1778491800@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260511T113000 DTEND:20260511T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Veronika Sunko & Xujia Chen\nhosted by Mikhail Lemeshk o\nAbstract: Veronika Sunko | Symmetry Probes of Quantum MatterThe centra l goal of condensed matter physics is to uncover\, understand\, and ultima tely control novel phases of matter. Progress relies on continuous interac tions between theory and experiment\, yet the two often remain separated: theories predict phenomena that experiments struggle to test\, while exper iments reveal behaviors that theories can at best postdict. My research is driven by the ambition to narrow this gap\, an effort that is inherently collaborative\, bringing together theorists\, synthesis groups\, and compl ementary experimental techniques.In this talk\, I will outline how symmetr y can serve as a bridge: experimental identification of symmetry can test and constrain theories. I will describe our strategy of developing and uti lizing experimental probes of symmetry\, and the opportunity these efficie nt and sensitive experiments offer for altermagnets\, a new class of magne tic materials where theoretical predictions are outpacing data. More broad ly\, this symmetry-based toolkit is applicable to a wide range of quantum materials\, and it will shape the research of my group in the years to com e.____________Xujia Chen | Manifolds and DiffeomorphismsManifolds are one of the fundamental objects studied in geometry and topology\, and diffeom orphisms are the "self-symmetries" of a smooth manifold. I will give an introduction to these concepts\, and show you what some research question s in this area look like. This talk is mainly targeted at non-mathematic ians LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Veronika Sunko & Xujia Chen: Inaugural Lecture | Symmetry Probes of Quantum Matter & Manifolds and Diffeomorphisms URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6094 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:686bce5b41e34965306073@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260512T110000 DTEND:20260512T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Benjamin Sacépé\nhosted by Georgios Katsaros\nAbstra ct: Topological superconductivity has attracted considerable attention due to its great promise for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Conventional a pproaches rely on intricate hybrid systems combining topological insulator s and superconductors\, requiring precise material engineering and fine-tu ned conditions\, yet a clear experimental demonstration remains absent to this day. In this colloquium\, I will introduce a novel type of topologica l insulator state emerging from the physics of the quantum Hall effect. Th is state leverages the unique properties of the zeroth Landau level in gra phenea remarkable\, strongly interacting flat band where electron-electron interactions give rise to diverse broken-symmetry phases\, characterized by distinct topological and lattice-scale orders. These phases can be iden tified through transport measurements [1] and directly visualized using sc anning tunneling spectroscopy [2]. I will also demonstrate how superconduc tivity can be induced in quantum Hall edge channels to create robust Josep hson junctions\, despite the presence of a strong perpendicular magnetic f ield [3]\, thus opening a new path toward the realization of topological s uperconductivity in quantum Hall Josephson junctions.[1] L. Veyrat et al. Science 367\, 781 (2020)[2] A. Coissard et al. Nature 605\, 51 (2022)[3] H . Vignaud et al. Nature 624\, 545 (2023) LOCATION:Office Bldg West / Ground floor / Heinzel Seminar Room (I21.EG.101 )\, ISTA ORGANIZER:sandra.widdmann@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Benjamin Sacépé: Exploring Quantum Hall Edge Channels in Graphene as a Path to Topological Superconductivity URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6303 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1779096600@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260518T113000 DTEND:20260518T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Alex Schier\nhosted by Edouard Hannezo\nAbstract: How does a fertilized egg develop into a complex embryo?  To address this que stion\, large-scale high-resolution atlases of development have recently  been generated. While these efforts have met with much excitement\, they have also raised the concern of "stamp collection". I will present our re cent progress in generating global views of embryogenesis and discuss how the exploration of atlases and gene regulatory networks can help provide c onceptual advances. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Alex Schier: Global Views of Development URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/5796 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1779181200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260519T110000 DTEND:20260519T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Jonathan Home\nhosted by Julian Léonard\nAbstract: A bstract: The development of useful quantum computers will rely on the abil ity to suppress errors which occur both naturally and through the erroneou s application of gate operations. Error-correction typically comes with si gnificant resource overheads\, which motivates the search for implementati ons which can naturally provide error correction in a compact manner. One approach is to use bosonic degrees of freedom to encode information redund antly\, allowing to perform feedback which suppresses errors. I will descr ibe two sets of experiments in which we perform operations and bosonic err or correction using mechanical oscillations of a single trapped ion. In th e first\, we demonstrate the entanglement and subsequent error-correction of logical qubits encoded using superposed displaced squeezed states formi ng periodic structures in phase space. This “GKP” encoding is particul arly well suited to diffusive errors in the oscillator phase space. Then\, using a novel non-linear regime of control\, I will show how we realize n on-linear reservoir engineering to perform confinement of states into fini te-dimensional subspaces which have discrete rotational symmetry\, and whi ch protect from dephasing errors. Alongside coverage of the state-of-the-a rt\, I will provide perspectives as to how these approaches could be embed ded in larger systems.” LOCATION:Office Bldg West / Ground floor / Heinzel Seminar Room (I21.EG.101 )\, ISTA ORGANIZER:Stephanie.Dolot@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Jonathan Home: Bosonic error-correction codes with trapped ions URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6406 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:68761bcb8c06a951650051@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260521T103000 DTEND:20260521T120000 DESCRIPTION: LOCATION:Office Bldg West / Ground floor / Heinzel Seminar Room (I21.EG.101 )\, ISTA ORGANIZER:hcai@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Chemistry Colloquium URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/5933 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1780390800@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260602T110000 DTEND:20260602T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Hannes Bernien\nhosted by Maksym Serbyn\nAbstract: Rec onfigurable arrays of neutral atoms have emerged as a leading platform for quantum science. Their excellent coherence properties combined with progr ammable Rydberg interactions have led to intriguing observations such as q uantum phase transitions\, the discovery of quantum many-body scars\, and novel quantum computing architectures. Here\, I am introducing a dual-spe cies Rydberg array that naturally lends itself for measurement-based proto cols [1] such as quantum error correction\, long-range entangled state pre paration\, and measurement-altered many-body dynamics. Furthermore\, Rydbe rg interactions between the two species then lead to novel regimes\, inclu ding greatly enhanced resonant dipole interactions\, that we use to demons trate a two-qubit gate and quantum non-demolition readout [2]. I will pre sent our current experiments on implementing quantum cellular automata in a dual-species array. Cellular automata are famous for producing complex b ehavior as well as universal computation based on simple initial states an d update rules. Here we investigate this paradigm by implementing an updat e rule based on dual species Rydberg blockade and periodic driving. [1] S ingh\, Bradley\, Anand\, Ramesh\, White\, Bernien\, Science 380\, 1265 (20 23).[2] Anand\, Bradley\, White\, Ramesh\, Singh\, Bernien\, Nature Physic s 20\, 1744 (2024). LOCATION:Office Bldg West / Ground floor / Heinzel Seminar Room (I21.EG.101 )\, ISTA ORGANIZER:Stephanie.Dolot@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Hannes Bernien: Dual-Species Atom Array Quantum Processors and Quan tum Networks URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6208 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:6848008d5c6c5604065909@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260603T153000 DTEND:20260603T163000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Jean-Louis Colliot-Thélène\nhosted by Tim Browning\n Abstract: A hundred years ago\, extending earlier results of Fermat\, Lege ndre\, Hilbert\, Minkowski\, Helmut Hasse etablished a "local-global princ iple" for the existence of rational solutions of quadratic polynomial equa tions with integral coefficients. The "local" conditions essentially requi re that no congruences prevent the existence of solutions. For polynomials of higher degree\, but with a number of variables bigger than the degree\ , one might hope for a similar local-global principle. I shall survey the proto-history and history of this problem and the many techniques develope d to prove or disprove this "principle" for specific classes of polynomial s. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, Central Building\, ISTA ORGANIZER:boosthui@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Jean-Louis Colliot-Thélène: Local-global principle for the existe nce of solutions for diophantine equations with hopefully many solutions URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6451 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1780911000@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260608T113000 DTEND:20260608T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Roberto di Leonardo\nhosted by Jérémie Palacci\nAbst ract: Many unicellular organisms can sense light\, reflecting their long e volutionary history in aquatic environments where sunlight provides both e nergy and environmental information. This has given rise to a broad divers ity of light-sensitive proteins that enable cells to exploit photons for m ultiple functions. Modern synthetic biology allows us to repurpose these n atural photoreceptors as biological analogues of optoelectronic components such as switches\, photoresistors\, and solar cells. In this talk\, I wil l focus on three light-activated proteins from evolutionarily diverse unic ellular organisms and show how they can serve as an optical interface to p rogram motility and gene expression. Using a light-driven proton pump\, we can establish feedback loops in which computer programs dynamically modul ate cell motility. This enables bacteria to act as light-reconfigurable pa int\, transport microscopic passive objects by shaping the mechanical pres sure of surrounding swimming cells\, and program biohybrid microrobots for the collection and delivery of microscopic cargo. By rewiring a cyanobact erial light-activated kinase into a synthetic genetic clock in E. coli\, l ight can serve as a zeitgeber\, driving coherent population-wide oscillati ons in gene expression. Finally\, we exploited the natural photophobic res ponse triggered by a light-activated cyclase in Euglena gracilis to design static “light containers” that can spatially sort cells\, leveraging the non-equilibrium nature of this biological version of the billiards pro blem. LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Roberto di Leonardo: Programming Cell Behavior with Light URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/5793 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1781600400@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260616T110000 DTEND:20260616T120000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Michael Buchhold\nhosted by Maksym Serbyn\nAbstract: A bstract: Understanding and actively shaping quantum entanglement in many- body systems is a key challenge for modern quantum technologies. Recently\ , monitored quantum dynamics — quantum dynamics with mid-circuit measu rements — has emerged as a powerful tool for harnessing entanglement in NISQ devices and simulating non-equilibrium dynamics in condensed matter s ystems. In this talk\, I will discuss our recent understanding of entangle ment in monitored quantum dynamics from the viewpoint of emergent many-bod y phases and universality. Monitored dynamics generate wave functions with robust entanglement structures\, which depend only on global properties s uch as symmetry and dimensionality\, thereby defining entanglement phases of monitored quantum matter. We anticipate a symmetry classification of mo nitored matter akin to equilibrium quantum matter in Hamiltonian systems\, which I will introduce using exemplary systems in one and two dimensions. I will also highlight our recent analytical and numerical advances and ho w they can be applied to engineer entanglement\, for instance\, in adaptiv e quantum circuits and driven quantum materials. -- Michael BuchholdProf essor of Theoretical Physics\,Department of Theoretical Physics\, Univers ität Innsbruck\, AustriaTel.: +43 512 507 52210Email: michael.buchhold@ui bk.ac.at (mailto:michael.buchhold@uibk.ac.at)Homepage: https://www.uibk.ac .at/en/th-physik/nonequilibrium-quantum-matter/ LOCATION:Office Building West/Ground Floor/Heinzel Seminar Room\, ISTA ORGANIZER:Stephanie.Dolot@ist.ac.at SUMMARY:Michael Buchhold: Monitored quantum matter URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6211 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1782120600@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260622T113000 DTEND:20260622T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Jiri Friml & Leonid Sazanov\nhosted by Carl-Philipp He isenberg\nAbstract: Auxin Signalling: Deconstructing a Long-Standing Parad igm in Plant BiologyAuxin is a major endogenous regulator of plant growth and development and one of the longest-studied plant hormones. The discove ry that auxin induces the transcription of hundreds of genes enabled the i dentification of key transcriptional regulators: Auxin Response Factors (A RFs) and their repressors\, the Aux/IAA (Auxin/Indole-3-acetic acid) prote ins. In parallel\, genetic screens for auxin-insensitive mutants uncovered components of the ubiquitin ligase machinery responsible for targeted pro tein degradation\, most notably TIR1 (Transport Inhibitor Response 1)\, an F-box component of the ubiquitin ligase complex.The resulting model is re markably simple: auxin promotes the interaction between TIR1-type auxin re ceptors and Aux/IAA co-receptors. This leads to Aux/IAA ubiquitination and degradation\, releasing ARFs from repression and enabling transcriptional responses. The model elegantly explained existing observations\, inspired the discovery of analogous repressor-degradation mechanisms in other path ways\, and withstood the test of time for more than two decades.Neverthele ss\, live imaging using a vertical-stage microscope developed at ISTA reve aled that auxin-induced root growth inhibition occurs within 30 seconds— far too rapidly to involve transcription. This finding led to the discover y that TIR1-type receptors also function as adenylyl cyclases (ACs)\, enzy mes that produce cyclic AMP (cAMP)\, a prominent second messenger in anima l cells. Subsequent studies demonstrated that cAMP is an indispensable com ponent of auxin signal transduction\, fundamentally challenging the canoni cal model of auxin action.Here\, I will trace the history of auxin signall ing\, from its discovery to the unexpected revisions that have recently re shaped the field.____________A Huge Molecular Proton Pump - How Complex I Works?Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” of eukaryotes. Mitochondrial (and often bacterial) respiratory chains comprise several large\, inner-me mbrane-embedded protein assemblies. Complexes I\, III\, and IV create a pr oton gradient across the membrane\, which then drives the rotary ATP synth ase. This system powers life by continuously providing ATP—humans turn o ver roughly their body weight of this energy-rich molecule every day. We s tudy the structure and mechanism of these enzymes and their supercomplexes using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and functional assays.Compl ex I is the first and largest enzyme in the chain\, consisting of up to 45 different subunits with a total molecular mass of about 1 MDa. It couples the transfer of two electrons from NADH to ubiquinone to the translocatio n of four protons across the membrane by a mechanism that is still hotly d ebated. Complex I has three antiporter-like subunits plus one additional s imilar domain\, which were previously thought to be responsible for pumpin g one proton each per catalytic cycle.We have solved high-resolution cryo- EM structures of complex I from several mammalian\, yeast\, and bacterial species under various conditions\, including catalytic turnover. Unexpecte dly\, we demonstrated that only one distal antiporter-like subunit is capa ble of ejecting protons into mitochondrial intermembrane space (or bacteri al periplasm). Dramatic conformational changes around the quinone-binding cavity couple the redox reaction to proton translocation during “open-to -closed” state transitions of the enzyme. In the “open” state\, the Q-cavity is widely open\, allowing quinone to enter and exit. In the “cl osed” state\, the cavity is tightly enclosed around the bound quinone\, meaning the protons needed to complete quinone reduction must originate fr om the central axis of the membrane domain. This initiates a “domino-eff ect” cascade of electrostatic interactions within the antiporter-like su bunits\, ultimately resulting in the ejection of four protons per catalyti c cycle from the distal subunit.Our proposed mechanism for complex I is an unexpected combination of conformational changes and electrostatic intera ctions. It challenges the paradigm held over the last decade\, yet it is r obust and explains all the unique features of complex I resolved in recent structural studies. LOCATION:Raifeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Jiri Friml & Leonid Sazanov: Auxin Signalling: Deconstructing a Lon g-Standing Paradigm in Plant Biology & A Huge Molecular Proton Pump - How Complex I Works? URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6481 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005854Z UID:1782725400@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260629T113000 DTEND:20260629T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Julia Reisenbauer & Charles Roques-Carmes\nhosted by J ohannes Fink & Latha Venkataraman\nAbstract: Scaling Light\, Integrating M atter\, Imaging the NanoscaleModern photonic technologies increasingly rel y on the ability to control\, manipulate\, and process light within compac t and scalable integrated platforms. At the same time\, advances in functi onal and quantum materials are expanding the range of optical phenomena th at can be engineered on chip\, enabling new approaches to light generation \, detection\, nonlinear interactions\, and radiation sensing. As photonic circuits grow from a few elements to hundreds or thousands of reconfigura ble degrees of freedom\, they open new opportunities in imaging\, sensing\ , computing\, and quantum technologies.In this talk\, I will describe how my group at ISTA aims to build next-generation optoelectronic platforms by combining scalable photonics\, functional materials\, and advanced charac terization. I will first discuss programmable integrated photonic systems that manipulate partially coherent light on chip\, enabling new measuremen t modalities that would be difficult to realize in free space. I will then turn to the integration of emerging materials into nanophotonic devices\, with a focus on radiation-sensitive materials that can reshape how X-rays are converted into optical information. These platforms point toward nano photonic scintillators\, metasurface-enhanced radiation detectors\, and qu antum-optical approaches to high-energy imaging.Finally\, I will discuss t he microscopy tools we are developing to characterize these increasingly c omplex nanophotonic and nanomaterial systems. More broadly\, our goal is t o establish integrated photonics as a scalable physical platform for revea ling\, controlling\, and exploiting light-matter interactions across optic al\, quantum\, and high-energy regimes._______Reprogramming Enzymes to Cat alyze Non-native ReactionsEnzymes are Nature’s catalysts\, evolved to co nstruct and degrade molecules with remarkable efficiency and selectivity. Although their activities have been shaped by natural selection to fulfill specific biological functions\, many enzymes retain promiscuous catalytic activities toward non-native substrates and reactions. By leveraging fund amental concepts such as catalytic promiscuity and directed evolution\, we repurpose and engineer these enzymes for applications in synthetic chemis try and bioremediation\, enabling the degradation of emerging environmenta l contaminants while simultaneously expanding the accessible chemical spac e and introducing new reactions to the synthetic chemist’s toolkit. LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Julia Reisenbauer & Charles Roques-Carmes: Scaling Light\, Integrat ing Matter\, Imaging the Nanoscale & Reprogramming Enzymes to Catalyze Non -native Reactions URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6385 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1783495380@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260708T092300 DTEND:20260708T092300 DESCRIPTION: LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Special Colloquium | Presentation of AURAS Survey Results URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6549 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1789983000@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260921T113000 DTEND:20260921T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Lena Schwarz & Jiawei Bao LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Lena Schwarz & Jiawei Bao: ISTA PostDoc Award URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6386 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1790587800@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20260928T113000 DTEND:20260928T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Francesco Locatello\nhosted by Christoph Lampert LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Francesco Locatello: Tenure Talk | Francesco Locatello URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6548 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1791192600@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261005T113000 DTEND:20261005T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Friedrich Stricker & Yuval Wigderson\nhosted by Mikhai l Lemeshko LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Friedrich Stricker & Yuval Wigderson: Inaugural Lecture | Friedrich Stricker & Yuval Wigderson URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6357 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1794220200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261109T113000 DTEND:20261109T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Lauren O'Connell\nhosted by Lora Sweeney LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Lauren O'Connell: Institute Colloquium | Lauren O'Connell URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6550 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1794825000@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261116T113000 DTEND:20261116T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Vivian Kuperberg & Carla Fernandez-Rico\nhosted by Mik hail Lemeshko LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Vivian Kuperberg & Carla Fernandez-Rico: Inaugural Lecture | Vivian Kuperberg & Carla Fernandez-Rico URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6389 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1795429800@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261123T113000 DTEND:20261123T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Kim Modic\nhosted by Mikhail Lemeshko LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Kim Modic: Tenure Talk | Kim Modic URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6390 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1796639400@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261207T113000 DTEND:20261207T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Daniel Robert\nhosted by Scott Waitukaitis LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Daniel Robert: Institute Colloquium | Daniel Robert URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6551 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1797244200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20261214T113000 DTEND:20261214T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Monika Visan & Simone Fatichi LOCATION:Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Monika Visan & Simone Fatichi: Inaugural Lecture | Monika Visan & S imone Fatichi URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6552 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260711T005855Z UID:1800268200@ist.ac.at DTSTART:20270118T113000 DTEND:20270118T123000 DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Lora Sweeney\nhosted by Mario de Bono LOCATION:ISTA | Central Building | Raiffeisen Lecture Hall\, ISTA ORGANIZER:diana.zubcevic@ista.ac.at SUMMARY:Lora Sweeney: Tenure Talk | Lora Sweeney URL:https://talks-calendar.ista.ac.at/events/6387 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR