Vedika Khemani wins McMillan Award and APS Valley Prize for work on time crystals

VEDIKA KHEMANI, an assistant professor of physics (courtesy appointment in Applied Physics), was recognized twice last month for “seminal theoretical work” on novel non-equilibrium quantum phases of matter, most notably the discovery of the “Floquet time crystal” phase.

The American Physical Society’s George E. Valley Jr. Prize is given “to recognize one individual in the early stages of his or her career for an outstanding scientific contribution to physics that is deemed to have significant potential for a dramatic impact on the field,” according to the prize website. The award consists of a monetary prize, a certificate citing the contribution made by the recipient, an allowance for travel to the APS Medal and Prize Ceremony and Reception and an invited talk at an APS meeting.

The McMillan Award is presented annually to “to an outstanding young researcher in condensed matter physics” to recognize “exceptional achievements in theory, experiment, or both.” The prize is given in memory of the late William L. McMillan, who was a condensed matter physicist at the University of Illinois. The award consists of a monetary prize, a plaque and an invitation to present the annual McMillan Award Lecture at the University of Illinois.

(Image from Vedika Khemani; story by Taylor Kubota)