BMO Newton Research Chair Background - Perimeter Institute

Xiao-Gang Wen appointed as BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chairin Theoretical Physics at Perimeter InstituteOverview• One year ago, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) formulated a strategy to attractfive of the world’s most brilliant scientists to Ontario, Canada. To do so, Perimeter is creatingfive of the most prestigious chairs in theoretical physics worldwide, named for some of themost important and innovative physicists in history – Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, Bohr and Dirac– whose discoveries advanced our fundamental understanding of the universe and enabled thecreation of new technologies which have transformed society.• The BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute wasannounced last June as the first of the planned chairs. The Chair is funded by BMO with $4million, and matched by $4 million from Perimeter Institute’s endowment fund.• Xiao-Gang Wen will be announced as the BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair inTheoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute on Friday, September 16 at 5:00 pm.• The appointment will be announced by Bill Downe, President and CEO of BMO Financial Group,and Neil Turok, Director of Perimeter Institute, at the conclusion of Innovation Nation, whichkicks off grand opening festivities of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute, runningSeptember 16, 17 and 18.Why This Is Important• The appointment demonstrates world class excellence and leadership in strategic areas ofinnovation in Ontario, Canada – building upon Perimeter’s reputation for bringing togetherbrilliant people and creating conditions that will allow them to maximize their researchproductivity.• Wen’s expertise accelerates Perimeter’s research efforts in describing and predicting thebehaviour of quantum materials with the potential to drive tomorrow’s quantum technologies.• As an independent, non-profit research institute, the appointment validates Perimeter’s uniquepublic-private partnership model, designed to target areas of opportunity and compete at thehighest international level. In this example, the BMO Financial Group and Perimeter alliance hasconcretely strengthened Canada’s capacity in theoretical physics by attracting Wen to Ontario.About Xiao-Gang Wen and His Research• Xiao-Gang Wen is a world leader in condensed matter physics, having pioneered the newparadigm of quantum topological order, used to describe phenomena from superconductivity tofractionally charged particles.• Wen is currently the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT, a Distinguished MooreScholar at Caltech, and a Distinguished Research Chair at Perimeter Institute.UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 5:00 PM ET FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011

• Xiao-Gang Wen works on cutting-edge topics within one of the most competitive, fastestevolvingareas of modern science. He has frequently had to invent new mathematicalformalisms. Some of these include:ochiral spin liquid, Z2 spin liquid, topological order, chiral Luttinger liquid, K-matrixclassification, non-Abelian FQH states, quantum order, projective symmetry group, algebraicspin liquids, fermion/anyon hopping algebra, string-net condensation, topological(entanglement) entropy, pattern-of-zero classification, symmetry protected topologicalorder, long range entanglements, discrete topological, non-linear sigma-model, fermionictopological non-linear sigma-model, fermionic group cohomology• Wen will be on location at Perimeter Institute on September 16 and 17 for the specialannouncement and will begin full-time research duties at Perimeter in the summer of 2012.• For a more complete explanation of his research, please see the separate background documentabout Xiao-Gang Wen.Motivation to Move to Canada’s Perimeter Institute• Xiao-Gang Wen will have strong support to develop his research and build a research team thatinvestigates highly entangled quantum matter and quantum materials.• Perimeter provides an excellent environment and multidisciplinary collaborative opportunitiesfor his research. This is because the description of highly entangled quantum states andmaterials brings together expertise from condensed matter physics, high energy physics,quantum information science and modern mathematics. Perimeter is also a hub of researchactivity in related areas of quantum gravity, string theory and non-perturbative quantum fieldtheory.• Xiao-Gang Wen and Perimeter share the same philosophy of collaboration – within PI, acrossCanada, and with international partners to advance research, discovery, and innovation.About Sir Isaac Newton• Sir Isaac Newton is considered by many to be one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers inhuman history. He described the universal laws of gravitation and motion, laying thegroundwork for the modern scientific description of the universe.About Perimeter Institute for Theoretical PhysicsPerimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) is an independent, non-profit, scientific researchorganization working to advance our understanding of physical laws and develop new ideas about thevery essence of space, time, matter and information. Located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, PI alsoprovides a wide array of research, training, and educational outreach activities to nurture scientifictalent and share the importance of discovery and innovation among students, teachers and the generalpublic. In partnership with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, PI is a successful example of publicprivatecollaboration in scientific research, training, and outreach.Additional Resources• More about BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair• PI 2009-2010 Annual Report (see pages 8 and 9 for further info on PI research areas)UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 5:00 PM ET FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011