Elena Poli, a former PhD student in the theory department of our research group, received the IQOQI Dissertation Prize 2025. The prize, worth EUR 1.000, has been awarded since 2013 as a recognition for outstanding scientific achievements in the field of quantum physics. We warmly congratulate Elena Poli on her success!
In her dissertation, Elena Poli characterizes the dual-nature of supersolids – paradoxical quantum systems in which crystalline order coexists with superfluid flow. These states could be realized in the context of ultracold dipolar gases, a field in which the research group of Prof. Francesca Ferlaino is at the forefront.
The work presented in the dissertation is primarily based on numerical simulations, complemented by close collaboration with experimentalists, within the local theory–experiment environment. Elena Poli developed theoretical approaches to identify clear signatures of both solid and superfluid behaviour in two-dimensional dipolar supersolids, focusing in particular on the emergence of a finite shear modulus and the nucleation of quantized vortices. Finally, she demonstrated how these systems can serve as quantum simulators of neutron star glitches, linking vortex dynamics in dipolar supersolids to astrophysical phenomena. Her work not only advances current research in low-temperature quantum physics but also establishes an important interdisciplinary bridge with astrophysics, marking significant progress toward the quantum simulation of stellar objects from Earth.
Read the full article here.