NEWS From 29 June to 1 July, some of the world’s leading physicists will gather in Umeå as a Nobel Symposium in physics is hosted at Umeå University. A Nobel Symposium is not just a conference, but an exclusive meeting place where scientific breakthroughs are discussed, new collaborations take shape, and future research agendas begin to emerge.
From 29 June to 1 July, some of the world’s leading physicists will gather in Umeå for a Nobel Symposium hosted by Umeå University. The symposium is organised by Associate Professor Nicolò Maccaferri and colleagues at the Department of Physics at Umeå University. From left: Aitor De Andrés, Tlek Tapani, Nicolò Maccaferri.
ImageMattias PetterssonThis is truly a conference at the very highest level
"This is truly a conference at the very highest level, bringing together some of the world’s foremost researchers in physics. The focus is on areas where major breakthroughs are happening right now, or where entirely new questions are starting to take form, both scientifically and in society," says Associate Professor Nicolò Maccaferri, Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics at Umeå University and organiser of the symposium.
A central aim is to promote interdisciplinary exchange and new collaborations. By bringing together international researchers from different disciplines and institutions, the symposium creates opportunities for unexpected connections and new ideas. In practice, it acts as a catalyst for collaborations that often continue long after the event itself.
The symposium brings together an outstanding group of pioneers and rising leaders in electromagnetics, photonics, acoustics, materials science and wave physics. Together, they will explore the evolution of metamaterials – from visionary concepts to powerful scientific and technological applications.
Hosting a Nobel Symposium means that Umeå University serves as both the academic and practical organiser of the event. Nicolò Maccaferri and his colleagues have defined the theme and invited participants, within a framework set by the Nobel organisations.
"When I first reached out to colleagues in the field, the response was very positive. As many see us as a leading environment in this area, it felt natural to host the symposium here in Umeå," says Nicolò Maccaferri.
The entire Nobel Committee for Physics will be present, and many members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Physics Class) will also attend as observers.
Hosting a Nobel Symposium is therefore not only an organisational responsibility, but also a strong mark of quality. It signals that Umeå University hosts research environments capable of bringing together the world’s leading experts and contributing to the development of the field.
Adekunle Adeyeye, Durham University, UK
Hatice Altug, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Andrea Alù, City University of New York, USA
Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University, USA
Mark Brongersma, Stanford University, USA
Federico Capasso, Harvard University, USA
Maria V. Chekhova, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Germany
Chiara Daraio, California Institute of Technology, USA
Jennifer Dionne, Stanford University, USA
George Eleftheriades, University of Toronto, Canada
Nader Engheta, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Mathias Fink, ESPCI Paris, France
Maria Kafesaki, University of Crete, Greece
Philippe Lalanne, Laboratoire de photonique, numérique et nanoscience, France
Laura Na Liu, University of Stuttgart, Germany
John Pendry, Imperial College London, UK
Albert Polman, AMOLF, Netherlands
Cheng-Wei Qiu, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Junsuk Rho, Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea
David Smith, Duke University, USA
Isabelle Staude, University of Jena, Germany
Martin Wegener, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Frank Wilczek, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Anatoly Zayats, King’s College London, UK
Shuang Zhang, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
The symposium is a closed event and open only to invited participants. Journalists are welcome upon registration.
Nobel Symposia are initiated by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Nobel Foundation, with the aim of promoting research dialogue in the spirit of the Nobel Prize. They bring together leading researchers to discuss the research frontier and identify new directions. The focus is on in-depth discussions among top experts – often in fields where future Nobel Prize discoveries may emerge. Nobel Symposia have been held since 1965.
