“Tangled Spins and Knotted Problems”: Axel Lubk to speak about frustrated magnetism in materials research

How do unusual magnetic states emerge in materials — and what role do they play in materials research? Prof. Dr. Axel Lubk, group leader at IFW Dresden, will explore these questions during the international “Pint of Science” event series. As part of the “Vision of Tomorrow” evening on May 20, 2026, he will give a talk at Zapfanstalt Dresden titled “Tangled Spins and Knotted Problems – Frustration in Magnetism (and Society)”.

The talk will focus on highly frustrated states of magnetic matter. In physics, frustration occurs when competing interactions prevent magnetic moments from arranging into an ordered state. This gives rise to exotic phases of matter such as spin liquids, spin ices, and spin glasses. These states exhibit unusual excitations — including magnetic monopoles, which do not exist in ordinary matter and may one day be harnessed in quantum computers or superconductors.

Event Information

Date: May 20, 2026 // 7 pm
Location: Zapfanstalt Dresden, Sebnitzer Str. 15 01099, Dresden

More: https://pintofscience.de/event/vision-of-tomorrow/