ERC Grant for Theoretical Physicist Karsten Held

Physicist Karsten Held from the Vienna University of Technology has been awarded with an ERC Grant from the European Research Council for his research in quantum mechanical materials science. Complex computer simulations can shed some light on new material properties. Professor Karsten Held from the Vienna University of Technology is developing new numerical methods to calculate and understand the subtle quantum mechanical interplay between the electrons which is responsible for a multitude of interesting effects. The European Research Council (ERC) has now awarded him an ERC Starting Grant of approximately 1.5 million Euros. With this grant, Held is going to extend his research group and intensify his scientific work in the next five years. Many Particles - Complex Calculations - The first object ever to be described by quantum mechanics was the hydrogen atom - a particularly simple system with only one electron. Each additional particle which has to be taken into account makes the calculations much more complicated.