Structure and Dynamics Group

SanD member Alexandra Santos-Putungan (Materials Science and Engineering Program) is one of 15 doctoral students supported by an OFID Postgraduate Fellowship operating within the Sandwich Training Educational Programme (STEP) of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). Alex is the first ICTP-OFID supported STEP fellow from the Philippines and she recently completed her first ICTP visit from 16 February to 15 July 2016. Her current research involves the use of computational ab initio methods to study the physics of atomic clusters.

SanD members attended the 2^nd Workshop on Theories in Quantum Phenomena and Condensed Matter Physics at UP Los Baños last 18-19 April 2016. The workshop was organized by physicists from the UPLB Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics and the National Sun Yat-sen University Department of Physics. Invited speakers gave lectures on several topics in quantum physics such as topological insulators and superconductors, ab initio modeling of novel materials, quantum information and computing, and non-equilibrium quantum mechanics.

SanD graduating student Rafael dela Rosa is one of the thirty BPI-DOST Science Awardees for 2016. For his BS thesis project Rafael quantified entanglement and coherence in a model of electron spins interacting with an environment for quantum computing applications. Some of his results have been published in the European Journal of Physics as part of a larger project describing effective thermodynamic models for entangled quantum systems.

SanD scientist Cristine Villagonzalo and graduate student Gene Itable attended the Annual Meeting of the Physical Society of the Republic of China (PSROC) at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), Kaohsiung, Taiwan last 25-27 January 2016. The conference covered topics ranging from quantum physics to astrophysics, and was highlighted by plenary sessions on advancements in magnetism, superconductivity, metamaterials and photonics. In a nanophysics presentation, Cristine discussed her joint work with former student Carlos Baldo III on how spin-orbit interactions can be engineered to produce multi-functional spintronic devices. Meanwhile, Gene presented his research on the effects of disorder on the properties of topological Anderson insulators in a poster session.

Graduate students Neris Ilano and Aura Villaruel attended the 15th Asian Quantum Information Science Conference (AQIS2015) at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS) last 24-30 August 2015. This is the second AQIS Conference attended by SanD researchers. In the poster sessions, Neris presented her research on optimizing a damped quantum search algorithm while Aura shared her results on using polarization fluctuations as an entanglement measure. Tutorial sessions and talks were given on quantum complexity, spin resonance spectroscopy and imaging, quantum correlations, superconducting quantum computers, and other advances in the field of quantum information. In the awarding ceremony on the last day of the conference, Neris earned a bronze award as one of the best poster presenters.

SanD PhD student Alexandra Santos-Putungan attended the 8th Conference of the Asian Consortium on Computational Materials Science (ACCMS-8) held at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST), Taipei last 16-18 June 2015. In this conference computational physicists, chemists, and material scientists discussed the latest developments in the field of computational materials science and tracked progress in its various applications in biotechnology, chemical catalysis, spintronics, electron transport, and energy production and control. In the conference poster session, Alex presented her research on the structural changes and magnetization enhancement due to the introduction of Co atoms in ZnO using density functional theory. 

SanD faculty, graduate students, and student interns from the University of Northern Philippines participated in the first Workshop on Theories in Quantum Phenomena and Condensed Matter Physics at the University of the Philippines Los Baños last 22-23 April 2015. The workshop was organized by the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics and was attended by scientists and students from ADMU, DLSU, MSU-IIT, and UP. Several lectures on condensed matter theory, computational materials physics, and quantum information were delivered by invited physicists and scientific discussions continued in the open forum and during the excursion to the nearby Mount Makiling Forest Reserve. SanD students were also given the opportunity to give short talks on their current research topics.

Undergraduate SanD member Christopher Patrick Elegado participated in the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS 2.0) Exchange Programme from 2 to 10 March 2015. Christoper's group, which also included other NIP students, represented the Science and Technology contingent and is the 24th batch of JENESYS participants. The programme hosts brought the group to several university campuses, cultural and industrial sites within the Kantō region of Japan to share with them the many aspects of Japanese education, science, and technology. The participants also stayed with host families to further immerse themselves in Japanese culture and traditions. The programme culminated with a workshop, reporting sessions, and a cultural presentation and farewell party.