Jie Wang is a rising scholar, with key accomplishments in the area of the physics of matter, who will help to strengthen Temple University’s reputation in condensed matter physics, in both the classroom and research laboratory.
Wang earned his PhD in physics from Princeton University in 2019. Before joining the College of Science and Technology, he was a research fellow at the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute and then a postdoctoral fellow at the Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications at Harvard University. Wang’s research interests include exotic quantum phenomena in topological matters, their physical origin and experimental implications.
What brought you to Temple, and what aspects of the university's culture and mission attracted you to join our community?
Temple university has strong condensed matter groups, both in theory and in experiment, which attracted me. Also, I like city life and Philadelphia is one of the best choices.
At the heart of your research, what is the big question you are trying to answer?
I am interested in the guiding principle of quantum matter. Nowadays, we know many guiding principles such as symmetry, topology, geometry and anomalies, which constrain and determine phases and dynamics of quantum matter. I want to understand further their roles in quantum matter and synthetic matter, their interplay, and their consequences and implications in experiments.
How do you go about trying to understand those guiding principles and their roles in matter?
Interesting discoveries are often seeded in experiments and theoretical models, and may lead to many unexplored open questions. I would like to combine analytical and numerical tools to discover and answer these questions.
What unique approaches do you bring to your research, and how do they set you apart in your field?
I am interested in developing a team which has strength both in theory and computation. On the theory side, I will emphasize insights and intuitions of physics and rigor from mathematics. On the numerical side, I am interested in various algorithms that solves the hard many-body problem.
What recent breakthrough or discovery in your field has inspired or influenced your own research agenda?
I would like to say twisted moiré material, which are atomically thin van der Waals crystals that can be stacked atop one another to create synthetic materials with new properties. There are many new phenomena in twisted materials that were not discovered in conventional materials.
Are there specific faculty collaborations or interdisciplinary projects you're excited to explore here at CST?
I am excited in talking to and collaborating with faculties in the physics department in both theory, computation and experiments. I am also interested in exploring interdisciplinary collaborations across different departments, such as machine learning and quantum information. I will also actively involve students from all backgrounds, in either short-term or long-term research forms
What inspired or motivated you to pursue a career in science?
Curiosity, it’s one of the most important factors that drove me toward scientific research.