Theoretical Physics

Salvatore Pace discusses the order of anomalies in global symmetries: the number of identical copies needed before their diagonal symmetry becomes anomaly-free. Familiar lattice examples often have finite order, whereas perturbative continuum anomalies have infinite order. The seminar examines Onsager symmetry as a lattice counterpart of chiral symmetry for a massless Dirac fermion in one spatial dimension. Its anomaly has order two, but imposing CPT symmetry on the lattice changes it to infinite order, bringing the lattice description closer to the continuum. The work was carried out with Elijah Lew-Smith and Shu-Heng Shao and is reported in arXiv:2606.12510. Attendance is at the IAS Bloomberg Lecture Hall; the organizer also offers Zoom access by request through the contact listed on the event page.

The Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences convenes mathematicians and physicists working on Liouville theory for a three-day workshop spanning its spacelike, timelike and related formulations. Andreas Blommaert and Beatrix Muehlmann organize the programme at Rubenstein Commons, and the official event page states that drop-in attendance is welcome.

Tomas Sykora examines topological physics that perturbation theory cannot capture. Complex field configurations in path integrals include solitons, monopoles, domain walls, cosmic strings, sphalerons, baryon junctions and instantons; non-perturbative effects are central to confinement and hadron masses and spins. Starting with tunnelling in a double-well potential and imaginary time, the talk follows instantons into QCD, covering the theta vacuum, strong CP and axions, chiral symmetry breaking, topology and resurgence. It also considers whether a gluonic Y-shaped baryon junction carries baryon number instead of the valence quarks. The experimental discussion reviews instanton searches at HERA and the LHC, junction searches at RHIC, and prospective Electron-Ion Collider tests. No confirmed signal is claimed. Speaker: Tomas Sykora, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. Organized by Jiří Hejbal and Roman Lysák at FZU. Thursday 15 October 2026, 10:00–11:00 Europe/Prague (CEST). Attend at Dvořák Hall, FZU, Pod Vodárenskou věží 1, Prague, Czechia, or use the public Zoom link on the organizer’s event page.

This Perimeter Institute conference brings together researchers studying quantum reference frames, quantum gravity, quantum foundations and related experiments. Topics include relational observables, quantum information in dynamical spacetime, locality, causality, entanglement, and the operational meaning of observers and subsystems. The meeting runs from 26 to 30 October 2026 in Waterloo, Canada. Registration is currently open, and the organizer provides information for virtual participation.

The Simons Foundation invites proposals to organize new symposium series in mathematics and theoretical physics, including theoretical computer science. Selected series may comprise up to three weeklong meetings with travel, lodging, and meals covered for participants, creating sustained time for collaboration on timely research problems.

RIKEN is recruiting one indefinite-term Research Scientist or Senior Research Scientist for its High-Energy QCD Theory Research Team. Research spans lattice and perturbative QCD, the dynamical properties of strongly interacting matter, and connections to experimental data. The scientist will help establish the team and develop collaborations in Japan. Applicants need a relevant doctorate or equivalent research background and approximately seven years of postdoctoral experience. The position is based at Wako Campus, with an anticipated start after 1 February 2027. Applications must reach RIKEN by 30 September 2026; the official page specifies document uploads and applicant follow-up requirements.

Three two-year postdoctoral positions investigate the origins of irreversible behaviour through mathematical physics, theoretical physics and the history of physics. Topics include entropy, randomness, statistical mechanics, gravitational and holographic systems, and the historical development of chaos. Researchers join the Radboud Center for Natural Philosophy and collaborate across disciplines. The full-time gross monthly salary is EUR 3,706–5,760, according to experience. Apply by 14 October 2026 with a motivation letter, CV/publications, three referees and the position or positions sought. The preferred start is 1 January 2027, with an agreed later start possible up to 1 September 2027.

The Simons Foundation invites letters of intent for ambitious collaborations addressing fundamental questions of major importance in mathematics, theoretical physics, or theoretical computer science. Awards support multi-investigator teams across career stages for four years, with up to three new collaborations expected to begin in January 2028.

Three two-year postdoctoral positions investigate the origins of irreversible behaviour through mathematical physics, theoretical physics and the history of physics. Topics include entropy, randomness, statistical mechanics, gravitational and holographic systems, and the historical development of chaos. Researchers join the Radboud Center for Natural Philosophy and collaborate across disciplines. The full-time gross monthly salary is EUR 3,706–5,760, according to experience. Apply by 14 October 2026 with a motivation letter, CV/publications, three referees and the position or positions sought. The preferred start is 1 January 2027, with an agreed later start possible up to 1 September 2027.

The Simons Foundation invites letters of intent for ambitious collaborations addressing fundamental questions of major importance in mathematics, theoretical physics, or theoretical computer science. Awards support multi-investigator teams across career stages for four years, with up to three new collaborations expected to begin in January 2028.

The Simons Foundation invites proposals to organize new symposium series in mathematics and theoretical physics, including theoretical computer science. Selected series may comprise up to three weeklong meetings with travel, lodging, and meals covered for participants, creating sustained time for collaboration on timely research problems.

Tomas Sykora examines topological physics that perturbation theory cannot capture. Complex field configurations in path integrals include solitons, monopoles, domain walls, cosmic strings, sphalerons, baryon junctions and instantons; non-perturbative effects are central to confinement and hadron masses and spins. Starting with tunnelling in a double-well potential and imaginary time, the talk follows instantons into QCD, covering the theta vacuum, strong CP and axions, chiral symmetry breaking, topology and resurgence. It also considers whether a gluonic Y-shaped baryon junction carries baryon number instead of the valence quarks. The experimental discussion reviews instanton searches at HERA and the LHC, junction searches at RHIC, and prospective Electron-Ion Collider tests. No confirmed signal is claimed. Speaker: Tomas Sykora, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University. Organized by Jiří Hejbal and Roman Lysák at FZU. Thursday 15 October 2026, 10:00–11:00 Europe/Prague (CEST). Attend at Dvořák Hall, FZU, Pod Vodárenskou věží 1, Prague, Czechia, or use the public Zoom link on the organizer’s event page.