Name: Elio J König-Tarasevich
Title, including department and school you work in: Asst Professor at Physics (college of L&S)
Hometown: Karlsruhe (Germany)
Educational/professional background: PhD in Physics from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
What is your field of research, and how did you get into it? Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics (i.e. the study of the collective behavior of many quantum particles). The beauty of this research field is that there are many physical systems to be studied, each one being a universe on its own.
What attracted you to UW–Madison? The scientific excellence in my research field paired with the exceptional life quality of the city.
What was your first visit to campus like? I lived in Madison before for a short period. Returning back in late Aug 2024 felt amazing — beautiful weather and a fantastic atmosphere at the terrace.
What’s the most important lesson you wish to convey to students? Life is too short not to live it consciously. Professionally, this includes — in my field — being conscious about the many wonders of nature, and of the beauty of their description.
Does your work relate in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? If so, please describe how. While the study of physical phenomena might appear limited to the scientific realm, I hope that my answer to the previous question illustrates its impact on our intellectual, spiritual and/or social lives.
What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties? The motto “More Is Different”, i.e. the paradigm that the whole can be more than the sum of its parts. It is underlying our research field and has particularly striking applications in quantum research, with applications ranging from novel materials to quantum computation.
Hobbies/other interests: I used to play soccer and squash, and slowly moved towards couple dancing (mostly Forró) in recent years. I love nature and particularly I love to mountain bike and to gravel bike — this year I’ve traversed the Alps for the 3rd time on a bicycle.