Kimchi
Itamar Kimchi did his Ph.D. work with Prof. Ashvin Vishwanath at the University of California, Berkeley. His undergraduate studies, in physics and mathematics, were done at MIT. He then returned to MIT as a Pappalardo Postdoctoral Fellow in Physics before joining JILA as an NRC fellow. Itamar was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and grew up there and in Rockville, Maryland.
My research interests, in the theory of quantum matter, focus on model systems that allow us to discover conceptually new insights in the theory, and that often are also relevant to experiments. A favorite setting is frustrated quantum spin systems, sometimes with strong spin-orbit coupling (e.g. iridates), sometimes also with quenched disorder. Other settings include topological quantum anomalies, quantum Hall, topological semimetals, and increasingly various cold atomic and molecular systems.
Georgia Institute of Technology School of Physics
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public.