Vedant Motamarri

PhD thesis title: Topology in non-equilibirum quantum systems (working title)

Recent advances have shown that the notion of a phase of matter can be extended to systems out of equilibrium beyond our usual categorisation of phases in thermal equilibrium - such as water or ice. These non-equilibrium phases possess remarkable properties unseen in equilibrium settings that can be harnessed for building new technologies.

Topological order is a form of non-local order that arises in a many-particle quantum systems. Such an ordering often leads to properties of the system which are robust against environmental influences, and can be useful since they do not require fine tuning of experimental conditions. My PhD focuses on the use of topological order to study the properties of non-equilibrium phases of matter and their interrelations.

Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?
Condensed matter theory offers a playground to study theoretical models of physical systems, which can often also be realised in the laboratory.  This aspect of the field drew me in as an undergraduate studying physics. I got interested in the dynamics of non-equilibrium systems from a journal club talk on the topic I attended in my final year and from internship experience working on localisation in quantum systems.