Title: EUV Transient Grating on amorphous SiO2 membrane

Abstract
A lot of effort is put in by the disordered systems community to discover the fundamental processes behind the internal friction of amorphous materials. This talk will present some cutting-edge measurements on SiO2 membranes made at TIMER beamline: the only Extreme Ultra-Violet (EUV) Transient Grating (TG) apparatus in the world, made possible in the FERMI FEL of Trieste. Both thermal diffusion and internal friction were measured at high exchanged momentum and frequency higher than 75GHz, as it cannot be done elsewhere.

Biography
I was born and raised in Belluno, but I moved to Trento for my university studies. I completed both my bachelor's and master's degrees in Trento, and now I am a PhD student in the SDSC group. I am working on the relaxation properties of materials used in coating gravitational wave mirrors.

Title: Coarse Grained Simulations of Kinetoplast DNA

Abstract
The kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) of Crithidia fasciculata consists of a 2D chainmail-like network of about 5000 interlinked minicircles and a couple dozen interlaced maxicircles located along the network's periphery. This unique topology makes the kDNA an archetypical model for studying 2D soft materials. In this talk, I'll describe the protocol we developed to generate coarse-grained representations of this system and compare its results to recent experimental findings, highlighting the model's strengths and limitations.

Biography
Hi! I am a PhD student in the Statistical and Biological Physics Group with a strong passion for computational physics, computer science and complex systems. I am one of the founding members of Progetto Apollo and a tutor at the University of Trento since 2019. In my spare time, I enjoy DMing DnD campaigns.

Title: Thermal Neutron Energy Determination with Multilayer Detection

Abstract
The energy determination of thermal and cold neutrons could revolutionize the field of neutron scattering science and transform the instrument design for future facilities, in particular in the light of the He3 crisis. Thermal neutrons are detected by nuclear interactions, in which their energy information is lost. This project will use Artificial Intelligence (AI)/machine learning in conjunction with simulated and experimental data to determine the thermal neutron energy. A unique chance to take use of this option is provided by the innovative multi-layer 10B thin film detector technology, which uses the different neutron penetration depths to retrieve energy information. The goal is to create a machine learning model to overcome the difficulties that are implicit in the mathematical treatment. The aim of this model is validate and optimize the results of a basic model for neutron absorption derived from simulations using the Geant4 software and Ncrystal toolkit. The final result is an algorithm to calculate the energy of thermal neutrons in a realizable detector as a possible supplementary tool for neutron scattering beyond time-of-flight measurements.

Biography
I am Anna Giulia Carloni and I am a second-year PhD student in physics at the University of Trento. I am a nuclear engineer. I achieved my master degree in nuclear engineering from Politecnico di Milano in 2020. Soon after, I worked for two years for an company in the automotive industry. After this experience, I won a fellowship for a research grant at an accelerator and applied superconductivity laboratory. Here, I worked mainly on electromagnetic and mechanical design of superconducting magnetic dipoles, with application in the medical field. After this year I finally came to Trento to start this doctoral program. 

Title:  Exploring open questions in cosmology: tensions and new physics beyond the standard model

Abstract
The standard model of particle physics and the general theory of relativity have proven to be extremely successful at describing observations across a very wide range of scales.  However, their successes are limited by a number of shortcomings, potentially pointing towards the need for new physics. In this talk I will cover some of the problems and open questions left unanswered by these two theories, such as the cosmological tensions, the nature of the dark sector and the singularity problem, discussing the interplay between model building and observations.

Biography
I am a second year PhD student in the ‘Theoretical Gravitation and Cosmology’ group at the University of Trento. I’ve earned my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Trento and the Master’s degree through the Trento-Tübingen double degree program. My research touches many interconnected fields in the context of cosmology, ranging from primordial black holes as the dark matter, to dark energy and cosmological tensions. 

Title: Methane Pyrolysis

Abstract
This presentation focuses on methane pyrolysis as a sustainable method for hydrogen production, offering a low-emission alternative to traditional processes like Steam Methane Reforming (SMR). It explores various techniques for methane decomposition, including thermal, catalytic, and plasma pyrolysis, highlighting their efficiency and potential in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plasma pyrolysis, in particular, operates at extremely high temperatures and efficiently converts methane into hydrogen and solid carbon. The study emphasizes the role of innovative techniques, such as microwave-assisted pyrolysis, in enhancing energy efficiency. The findings point toward methane pyrolysis as a key technology for future hydrogen production with minimal environmental impact.

Biography
I completed my Master’s in Physics from Riphah International University, where I focused on experimental research related to energy storage devices. Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. at the University of Trento, working in the hydrogen production team under the supervision of Prof. Luca Matteo Martini.

Title: Wannier interpolation of reciprocal-space periodic and non-periodic matrix elements in the optimally smooth subspace

Abstract
Maximally localized Wannier functions use the gauge freedom of Bloch wavefunctions to define the optimally smooth subspace. The associated Wannier functions are real-space localized, a feature often used to Fourier interpolate periodic observables in reciprocal space on ultradense momentum grids. However, Fourier interpolation cannot handle non-periodic quantities in reciprocal space, some of which are crucial for the evaluation of optical properties. We show that a direct multidimensional interpolation in the optimally smooth subspace yields comparable accuracy with respect to Fourier interpolation at a similar or lower computational cost, allowing also for the interpolation of non-periodic observables. Finally, we underline that direct interpolation in the optimally smooth subspace can be employed for periodic and non-periodic tensors of any order without any information on the position of the Wannier centers in real space.

Biography
I obtained both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Trento. Currently I am a PhD student in the Materials Theory Group where I developed a new interpolation scheme within the Maximally Localized Wannier Functions framework which I will use to evaluate materials properties starting from first principles calculations. 

Title: Sustainability Education: from expert opinions to the design and implementation of a teaching-learning sequence

Abstract
Sustainability education in secondary schools presents a challenge due to its complexity and transdisciplinary nature. To identify key concepts for effective educational interventions, contributions from various disciplines and specific objectives, we conducted a study by interviewing university professors as experts. Based on the results, an educational intervention focusing on the greenhouse effect and climate change was developed, extending to issues related to energy production and consumption, individual and collective choices, and involving students as future citizens. Preliminary results from a trial conducted in some classes will be presented, highlighting the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach in raising students' awareness of global environmental challenges and promoting active participation.

Biography
I hold a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Trento. Currently, I teach mathematics and physics at the high school level. I'm also pursuing a PhD in physics education, focusing on sustainability education. My research aims to develop innovative educational interventions to raise students' awareness of global environmental and sustainability challenges.

Title: The laser system of PsICO, and a silicon target for a Bose-Einstein condensate of positronium

Abstract
Positronium is the bound state of an electron and its antiparticle, the positron, making it the antiparticle of itself and an extremely interesting physical creature. Positronium annihilation in three entangled gamma rays, fall of positronium in the gravitational field of earth, and positronium Bose-Einstein condensation are just some of the many experiments programmed or foreseen at the new beamline (PsICO) at the Antimatter Laboratory. I will be presenting the setup of PsICO with a focus on the laser system for positronium manipulation, and the main concepts for the production of a silicon target for positron to positronium conversion and confinement

Biography
(2016) Bachelor at UNITN with thesis on Nonlinearities in Microring resonators. (2020) Master at UNITN in Nanophotonics. Thesis with Laser Group of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, CERN and UNITN with title: A new target for positronium Bose-Einstein condensation, and performance improvements of tracking sensor MALTA2. (2023) PhD at UNITN where I keep working on the development of the Ps-BEC target. Currently, setting up the laser system of PsICO at the Antimatter Laboratory of Trento. The main goal now is to obtain the first measurements of the entangled 3-Gamma annihilation of ortho-positronium in 2025. 

Title: Creation of Arbitrary Optical Potentials for Ultracold Atom Experiments Using a Digital Micromirror Device

Abstract
In our laboratory, we use laser cooling techniques to cool and trap sodium atoms to the point of quantum degeneracy. The trapping potential is determined by the shape of the laser beam, which typically creates a harmonic potential. In my presentation, I will describe the development of a technique to shape light in order to create arbitrary potentials for ultracold atom experiments. This approach employs a Digital Micromirror Device, enabling experiments beyond harmonic confinement and in reduced geometries, such as quasi-2D configurations.

Biography
Hi everyone! My name is Diego, and I’m from Brescia. During my Master’s studies at the University of Trento, I focused on Quantum Gases. Now, I am a PhD student with the experimental group at the Pitaevskii Center for Bose-Einstein Condensation, where I primarily study the properties of ultracold atomic mixtures.

Title: A Self-Adapting On-Chip Photonic Neural Network

Abstract
We study a silicon photonics-based hardware neural network, built from arrays of coupled microring resonators with patches of phase-change material. Designed for energy efficiency and biologically inspired machine learning, our neuromorphic hardware provides a powerful solution for edge computing through reservoir computing. As a proof of concept, our network achieves strong performance in classifying handwritten digits.

Biography
Alessandro Foradori is a Ph.D. student in a joint program between Ghent University, Belgium, and the University of Trento, Italy. His research, conducted both at the Nanoscience Laboratory, where he is currently based, and at the Photonics Research Group, focuses on self-adapting integrated photonic neural networks.