After 61 stops across Germany, Australia, Austria, and the United States, the traveling exhibition “RETHINKING PHYSICS: A Century of Quantum Mechanics — Time for a Female Perspective!” is drawing to an end. Featuring portraits of accomplished and aspiring female researchers, the show highlights how women are shaping the future of quantum physics. Developed by the Würzburg–Dresden Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat – Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter, it was created to mark Quantum2025, the UN’s International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. It remains on view at the IFW Dresden through March 10, 2026. A public colloquium will mark the official closing event.

Well-traveled exhibition makes final stop at IFW Dresden

The RETHINKING PHYSICS exhibition devised by the Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat at the Universities of Würzburg and Dresden traveled internationally to celebrate Quantum2025, appearing in schools, libraries, museums, universities, scientific conferences, and other venues. Through personal portraits and stories, it captures the passion, curiosity, achievements, and ambitions of the women featured. For its final stop, the widely traveled exhibition will be presented in the atrium of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) in Dresden through March 10, 2026. 

“We have been part of the Cluster of Excellence since 2019 and are delighted to host this successful project for its closing chapter,” says Professor Bernd Büchner, Scientific Director of the IFW Dresden and a principal investigator of ctd.qmat. “Making inspiring female perspectives in our field visible sends a powerful message — especially as thousands of physicists are gathering in Dresden over the next few days for the German Physical Society’s (DPG) Spring Meeting.”

Closing event with scientific highlight

The exhibition will conclude on March 10, 2026, with a public IFW colloquium beginning at 2 p.m. Roser Valentí, Professor of Theoretical Solid-State Physics at Goethe University Frankfurt, will deliver a one-hour lecture titled “Rethinking Magnetism: A Perspective.” Her talk explores new approaches to magnetic materials — a key focus of contemporary quantum research. A reception in the atrium will follow. Professor Valentí is a member of the international Grete Hermann Network (GHN), based at ctd.qmat, which connects women researchers in solid-state physics and related disciplines. She served for many years as Chair of the IFW’s Scientific Advisory Board and has been a member of its Board of Trustees since 2022.

“The response to RETHINKING PHYSICS has been overwhelming — especially from schools,” says Dr. Alina Markova, Equal Opportunity Coordinator at ctd.qmat and the exhibition’s project lead. “Students and teachers alike shared incredibly positive feedback. Our aim was to create visible role models and inspire girls in particular to pursue physics. By placing scientific passion, curiosity, and personal motivation at the center, we sought to challenge stereotypes. The enthusiastic international reception encourages us to further develop the format.” 

Exhibition

RETHINKING PHYSICS in the atrium of IFW Dresden – last stop of the traveling exhibition:
Venue: Helmholtzstrasse 20, 01069 Dresden
On view until: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Open: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Free admission 
Please register at the IFW Dresden reception desk.

Finissage — IFW Colloquium

Tuesday, March 10, 2026
2–3 p.m.: Lecture by Professor Roser Valentí, Goethe University Frankfurt
“Rethinking Magnetism: A Perspective” (in English)
Venue: IFW Dresden, Lecture Hall A1E.10
Followed by: Reception in the atrium
Free admission
Please register at the IFW Dresden reception desk.

The event is open to students, school groups, and members of the public.

Contacts

IFW Dresden
Patricia Bäuchler
Science Communication
Tel: +49 351 4659 249
p.baeuchler[at]ifw-dresden.de

Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat
Katja Lesser
Press Officer & Head of Communications
Tel: +49 351 4633 3496
katja.lesser@tu-dresden.de

RETHINKING PHYSICS
Dr. Alina Markova
Equal Opportunity Coordinator at ctd.qmat
Tel: +49 351 463 32282
alina.markova@tu-dresden.de

More about the exhibition: www.rethinking-physics.de