Editorial
MaNEP
Switzerland is growing by the day and I am pleased to announce many new
scientists joining the Network, mostly from Switzerland but also from
abroad. As per today, 72 full and 121 associate members are
strengthening our network in the field of novel quantum materials and
devices. I would like to warmly welcome every new member to the Network,
and especially Nicola Spaldin, who was elected to the MaNEP
executive board to replace Anke Weidenkaff, and Gabriel Aeppli, the new
SYN department head at PSI.
To
stimulate new interactions and collaborations among members, the MaNEP
network is launching a restricted access intranet on its website. A
login and password will be sent to all members. We hope you will take
advantage of this new platform and nourish it with your research
interests, technical facilities, materials, samples and any practical
information you will find pertinent to share with the Network members.
I
am delighted to report numerous and prominent prizes awarded to MaNEP
Network members. Congratulations to Jean-Marc Triscone who has been
honoured by the prestigious European Physical Society Condensed Matter
Division Europhysics Prize, the European highest award in our field, and
to Antoine Georges for receiving the Hamburg Prize for theoretical
physics. In this issue, Thierry Giamarchi reflects on his recent
election to the French Academy of Sciences. Last but not least,
congratulations to Simon Gerber, Marta Gibert, Simon Moser, Sandra Sopic
and Fabian von Rohr for their awards and to Jennifer Fowlie who won the
Swiss national final of Famelab. To facilitate future applications of
our members, we have added a list of available awards on the MaNEP website.
This
newsletter also features scientific and innovation reports describing
successful projects and research collaborations in the MaNEP Network. I
wish to thank the authors and contributors. The spotlight on industry
presents a most recent success story with an innovative technology
transferred from a UNIGE laboratory, the NCCR MaNEP and the startup
Phasis to the luxury watch manufacturing industry.
MaNEP
Switzerland strives to provide opportunities for networking and to
learn about the latest developments in our field. In June, MaNEP
sponsored a well-attended topical meeting on 2D transition metal
dichalcogenides at the University of Geneva. Currently, registration is
open for the 6th MaNEP Winter School taking place in Saas-Fee next
January. Many thanks to the organizing and programme committee for a
very attractive programme. MaNEP Switzerland actively seeks support for
its members participating in these events, and we gratefully acknowledge
financial support for the 2015 Winter School in Saas Fee from the
CUSO (Conference of Western Switzerland University). Upcoming
events include M2S organized in Geneva in August 2015 (registration is
open) and the traditional MaNEP Workshop planned for June 2016 in Les
Diablerets.
I am looking forward to a successful second year of the MaNEP Network and I wish you a pleasant reading !
Christoph Renner
(photo credit L.Windels/UNIGE)
