Quantum field theory (QFT) is experiencing a remarkable renaissance. Recent years have seen transformative developments across its many subfields: the conformal bootstrap has enabled unprecedented precision in the study of critical phenomena; the functional renormalization group has matured into a powerful nonperturbative tool with applications ranging from quantum gravity to ultracold atoms; and holographic dualities continue to yield deep insights into strongly coupled matter. At the same time, the boundaries between high-energy physics, condensed matter theory, and quantum many-body physics are becoming increasingly fluid, with shared mathematical structures —
symmetry-protected phases, anomalies, generalized symmetries, and emergent gauge fields — appearing across all three communities.
This Winter School provides a coherent and pedagogically structured introduction to QFT as a unified framework connecting physical phenomena across widely separated energy scales. The program is organized around six interlinked thematic modules, each delivered by leading experts and complemented by problem sheets and focused
research seminars:
1. Renormalization Group — scaling, fixed points, universality. 2. Effective Field Theory — low-energy actions, symmetry principles, collective modes. 3. Nonperturbative Methods & Critical Phenomena — confinement, instantons, mass gaps. 4. Conformal Field Theory — scale invariance, critical points in quantum and statistical systems. 5. Holography & AdS/CFT — gravitational duals of strongly coupled field theories. 6. Emergent Phenomena — collective excitations, quantum many-body dynamics, effective spacetime & cosmology.
The school is aimed at graduate students and early-career researchers within a related subfield.
Invited lecturers are:
Manfred Salmhofer (University of Heidelberg) - Fermionic systems and the renormalization group
Hugh Osborn (University of Cambridge)
Johanna Erdmenger (University of Würzburg) - Introduction to foundations and applications of the AdS/CFT correspondence
Andrea Cappelli (INFN Florence) - Topological Phases of Matter and the Superconductor
Alessandro Codello (DSMN, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice) - Functional Dimensional Regularisation
Seminar speakers:
Benjamin Knorr (University of Heidelberg) - Asymptotic Safety and Gravity
Ana Raclariu (King’s College) - Infrared gravitational observables and celestial CFT
Aaron Held (École Normale Supérieure) - Classical higher-derivative dynamics: From scalar fields to nonlinear gravitational EFTs
Dario Benedetti (École Polytechnique, CNRS) -
Lorenzo Di Pietro (University of Trieste) -
Giovanna Morigi (Saarland University) -
[*] To be confirmed.
A link for the registration is found in the “Registration Instructions” and below. (Registration fee [430 Euro] covers accommodation as well as breakfast and breaks)
Looking forward to seeing you in Cargese.
The organizers.