Freie Universität Berlin appointed Johannes Reuther as W2 professor
Prof. Dr. Johannes Reuther works at the Freie Universität Berlin and the HZB. © David Ausserhofer, Freie Universität Berlin, FB Physik
On April 6, 2020 Freie Universität Berlin appointed Johannes Reuther to the joint W2 professorship "Theory of Novel Quantum Materials”. The physicist will conduct research at both Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Freie Universität Berlin. The joint appointment will build a bridge between experimental and theoretical physics.
Prof. Dr. Johannes Reuther is a theoretical physicist and works on magnetic phenomena based on quantum mechanics. Among other things, he is researching quantum spin fluids, a new quantum state in which atoms do not form a fixed magnetic order at low temperatures. Such material systems exhibit interesting properties and could be used in the future for a new type of quantum information processing.
"My group is working very closely on this topic with the experimental physicists around Bella Lake from HZB. We use the methods of theoretical physics to help explain the effects observed in the experiment," explains Johannes Reuther. This would not only provide a better understanding of the basic phenomena. "We also carry out concrete material simulations to show how different materials behave in experiments and how such quantum states in magnetic materials can be used".
Johannes Reuther had previously worked as a junior professor at Freie Universität Berlin and headed the junior research group "Theory of quantum magnetism" at HZB. Now he can further develop and expand his department. "I am pleased that I can continue teaching at the university. I enjoy the exchange with the students very much," says Reuther. He added that theoretical physics is strongly represented at Freie Universität Berlin, and that there is an internationally recognized expertise in experimental physics at HZB. "With my professorship I can unite both worlds to a certain extent, I am very much looking forward to that".
About the person
Johannes Reuther is 38 years old and studied physics at the University of Karlsruhe, where he also received his doctorate. After his doctorate, he went to the University of California, Irvine as a postdoctoral researcher and then moved on to the renowned California Institute of Technology (CalTech), where he spent two years doing research. In mid-2014 Reuther returned to Germany and established a junior investigator research group on the theory of quantum magnetism at HZB. In August 2014, he was offered a junior professorship at Freie Universität Berlin.
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