NOTE: ABSTRACT SUBMISSION WILL OPEN IN MARCH 2026

From the Standard Model of particle physics to concordance cosmology, many of the most compelling ideas about how the universe works now point toward a rich and elusive dark sector. The 21st Patras Workshop on Axions, WIMPs and WISPs, hosted by The University of Western Australia at its Crawley campus on the banks of the Swan River in Perth, will be held from 9–13 November 2026, and will gather leading experts and emerging researchers to probe this frontier. Continuing a distinguished series that began at CERN in 2005, the workshop will focus on innovative theoretical developments, laboratory and astrophysical searches for dark matter and dark energy, and state-of-the-art efforts to uncover new weakly interacting particles and constrain their properties. This edition will highlight the growing Australian and Asia–Pacific contributions to dark sector physics, drawing on UWA’s strong ecosystem in precision measurement, quantum technologies and astroparticle physics.

The workshop will delve into the physics of axions, WIMPs and WISPs in all their facets: direct and indirect detection strategies, novel detector concepts and readout schemes, astrophysical and cosmological probes, and the latest theoretical frameworks that knit these approaches together. By bringing together diverse communities, from quantum sensing and precision metrology to gravitational waves, cosmology and particle theory, the Patras Workshop in Perth aims to spark new ideas, forge fresh collaborations and accelerate progress toward unveiling the dark sector.

A highlight of the workshop will be a plenary lecture by the 2025 Nobel Laureate, Prof. John M. Martinis, whose pioneering work in superconducting quantum circuits has transformed modern quantum measurement science. Superconducting quantum technologies, including Josephson parametric amplifiers, superconducting qubits, and transition-edge sensors (TES), are now central to the development of next-generation detectors for rare-event searches and precision measurements. These devices enable measurements at or beyond the standard quantum limit, allowing experiments to probe extremely weak electromagnetic and calorimetric signals. In particular, superconducting microwave technologies provide ultra-low-noise readout for resonant detectors, while TES-based sensors offer exquisite energy resolution for detecting tiny deposited energies in cryogenic experiments. Advances in superconducting quantum engineering are therefore dramatically enhancing the sensitivity of experiments searching for new physics, while building powerful connections between quantum information science, cryogenic instrumentation, and fundamental particle detection.

For a history of the workshop,

see: https://axion-wimp2026.desy.de/   

and https://axion-wimp2026.desy.de/previous_workshops/

**Important dates 2026:**

• March (TBC): Abstract submission opens. 
• 10 July: Abstract submission deadline: (General Submission Closed)
• 25 September: Submission of post-deadline posters closes.
• 25 September: REGISTRATIONS CLOSE.
• 08 November: Welcome Reception.
• 09 – 13 November: 21st Patras Workshop.

Topics Include

• Axions and Wave-Like-DM (WISPS)
• WIMPs
• Other DM
• Astrophysics/Astronomy
• Experiment
• Theory

Code of Conduct

The workshop is dedicated to providing a discrimination- and harassment-free experience for all attendees. All speakers and participants are expected to comply with the CDM code of conduct

CANCELLATION:
All refund requests must be in writing by mail to the Conference Secretary and Chair as soon as possible. The Conference committee reserves the right to refuse reimbursement of part or all of the fee in the case of late cancellation. However, each case of cancellation would be considered individually