David Adler Lectureship Award in the Field of Materials Physics

Although communication has never been one of my personal strengths, I am indeed hard to turn off when it comes to talking about science, so this award is suitable for me. My plan is to talk about some recent discoveries in quantum materials that have been made in my research group, which have happened due to a combination of my drive and curiosity, the fact that I like theorists, my love of both chemistry and physics, the skills and insights of my research group members, and the generosity of my mentors and collaborators. I think that we will probably all agree that materials physics is a contentious field, and like everyone out there I have endured many an insult from anonymous referees whose goal seems to be to prove that they are smarter than I am, but if there are general messages that I’d like to pass on to younger scientists in this talk they are to look beyond the affronts of life to see how you can improve yourself, and to never give up. Illegitimi non Carborundum.