The Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative was created to advance the basic research frontier in experimental physics by identifying extraordinary scientists and enabling them to collaborate in new and unconventional ways. A cornerstone of this effort is yearly convenings — intentionally designed gatherings that foster deep connection, creativity and collaboration among investigators.
Creating space for unconstrained thinking
Rather than traditional conferences centered on presentation of results, the initiative’s convenings emphasize extended interaction time and small-group discussions. These sessions focus on brainstorming new experiments and exploring bold ideas, stimulating unexpected insights and future collaborations. As one participant described, these meetings provide a rare space for open, intimate dialogue among peers. “It was so wonderful to get an update on methods and instruments from the generation of people who are innovating on how physics is done across many fields,” said Professor Kathryn Ann Moler of Stanford University, one of the invited speakers at this year’s convening. “The group really focused on how we can learn what we most want to know.”
Catalyzing new collaborations and professional growth
The convenings have already yielded tangible collaborations. For example, Investigators Nanfang Yu and Wei Guo met at a convening and launched a joint project combining a two-dimensional meta lens with liquid helium vortex experiments — an idea born directly from their conversations during a convening.
At the 2024 convening, investigators Kater Murch and David Weld discovered that despite working in different experimental fields, they shared an interest in quantum aspects of measurement and feedback. This resulted in them organizing a workshop, funded by the Eddleman Quantum Institute at UC Santa Barbara, to bring together leading experimental and theoretical physicists to explore the emerging discipline of quantum interactive matter, in which properties and dynamics of many-body quantum systems are fundamentally shaped by measurement and feedback.
Experimental Physics Investigators Convening, Park City, Utah, July 2024
Beyond research, the convenings nurture leadership skills and inclusive laboratory management practices through professional development workshops. Recent sessions have covered topics such as leadership and mentoring students and postdoctoral researchers. One investigator noted that after attending a session on individual development plans, they adopted them for their own students and introduced them as a mentoring tool for junior faculty within their department.
Measuring what matters
To understand the long-term impact of convening the investigator collaborations, the initiative supports an external evaluation led by Dr. Eric Brewe of Drexel University. Using pre- and post-convening surveys, co-authorship and acknowledgment analyses, this evaluation tracks how connections evolve into collaborations. Early data show a measurable increase in research discussions among participants — a promising sign that these gatherings are shaping a more connected and creative community of experimental physicists.
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