Submitted by Pooja Pandey on Fri, 16/12/2022 - 11:37
Royal Spanish Society of Physics and BBVA Foundation presented their annual awards for theoretical physics to Dr. Bartomeu Monserrat.
Research in theoretical physics is fundamental and the materials we are developing will serve to solve major problems of humanity such as the energy crisis, climate change or medical issues. Dr. Bartomeu Monserrat
The award promotes scientific culture and recognizes high quality research, innovation, and the work of young scientists in theoretical physics. It is presented annually by the Royal Spanish Society of Physics and the BBVA Foundation.
In his research, Dr. Bartomeu Monserrat develops efficient algorithms to solve the equations of quantum mechanics. He explains, "calculations that previously took years to complete on a supercomputer now take only days."
"This opens the door to being able to study a large number of new materials and properties that were so far unattainable," he adds, detailing that these algorithms can be applied to problems in multiple fields, from astrophysics to the design of materials for new technologies. For example, Monserrat has managed to simulate quantum materials in conditions of temperature and pressure "so extreme that they are unattainable for experiments," he says, but found inside gas giant planets.
"Research in theoretical physics is fundamental and the materials we are developing will serve to solve major problems of humanity such as the energy crisis, climate change or medical issues"
He has discovered that helium, traditionally considered a noble gas that does not interact with other elements, can form compounds with iron if the temperature and pressure are high enough. These results help explain the apparent depletion of helium in the atmospheres of gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn.
After receiving his undergraduate degree in Physics from Imperial College London, he joined the University of Cambridge where he has spent much of his research career.
Monserrat considers that research in theoretical physics is fundamental and maintains that "the materials we are developing will serve to solve great problems of humanity such as the energy crisis, climate change or medical issues." The award comes as "a surprise" for both him and his team: "it motivates us all to continue researching as we have been doing these years."
The news is an adaptation of the article first published on BBVA Foundation (fbbva.es)website.