Rice University professor Qimiao Si recently delivered the prestigious Zachariasen Memorial Lecture at the University of Chicago, where he was recognized for his contributions to the field of condensed matter physics.
The annual lecture series, hosted by UChicago’s Department of Physics, honors the legacy of William Zachariasen, a pioneer in X-ray crystal diffraction and a former department chair who helped recruit physics icons Enrico Fermi and Maria Goeppert-Mayer to Chicago. The honor is awarded annually to an outstanding alumnus of the department.
During the April 23 event, titled “Pathways to New States of Quantum Matter,” Si was recognized for his “profound and sustained contributions to the theory of strongly correlated quantum matter.” The award citation noted that Si’s pioneering insights have reshaped the scientific understanding of electronic correlations, quantum criticality and emergent collective behavior in condensed matter systems.
In his lecture, Si discussed the wave-particle nature of electrons in solids and how these interactions open new pathways for discovering novel states of quantum matter. His talk highlighted how these frameworks lead to new types of topological metals and unconventional superconductivity, offering new frontiers for quantum functionality.
Si is the Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rice and Director of Rice’s Extreme Quantum Materials Alliance (eQMA).