Symposium on Women in Physics​: Networking, Innovation, Opportunity and Equity (SWPNIOE)

11 Sept 2026, 00:00 → 12 Sept 2026, 19:00 Asia/Kolkata

Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Delhi NCR

SUCHETA MONDAL (Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence), POONAM MEHTA (Jawaharlal Nehru University)

The Symposium on Women in Physics: Networking, Innovation, Opportunity and Equity (SWPNIOE) aims to bring together established and early-career researchers to strengthen gender equity and inclusion across the physics community. 

The key highlights of SWPNIOE are

• Research talks featuring cutting-edge research by women across diverse areas in physics

• • Condensed Matter Physics

  • Cosmology, Astroparticle Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics

  • High Energy Physics 

  • Soft Matter, Applied Physics and Sustainable Energy Technologies

 

• Special Session dedicated to the Life and Journey of Professor Rohini Godbole (Padma Shri, 2019) 

• Special Session featuring Success Stories

• Panel discussion on Code of Conduct and Best Practices

• Panel discussion on Mentorship and Networking

• Poster Session for students and post-doctoral fellows to facilitate cross‑institutional collaborations and provide visibility to emerging work

By combining research talks with panel discussion and mentorship forum, SWPNIOE aims to catalyze an equitable and supportive physics ecosystem that nurtures diverse talent at every career stage.

SWPNIOE_final.pdf

Friday 11 September

1 Registration & Breakfast

Inaugural Session

Conveners: Ananya Mukherjee (VC, SNIOE), Rupamanjari Ghosh (Former VC, SNIOE)

Initiatives of the Indian Physics Association (IPA) and Gender in Physics Working Group (GIPWG)

2 Some personal reflections

Speaker: Priya Johari

3 IPA

Speaker: Srubabati Goswami

4 GIPWG

Speaker: Shikha Varma

11:10 High Tea

Condensed Matter Physics

5 Engineering Magnetic Vortex Dynamics for Next-Generation Spintronic Memory, Oscillators, and Neuromorphic Computing

Magnetic vortices, with their topologically protected spin textures, excellent stability, and rich dynamical behavior, have emerged as promising building blocks for next-generation spintronic devices. Their controllable polarity, chirality, and gyrotropic motion offer exciting opportunities for developing energy-efficient memories, microwave oscillators, and unconventional computing architectures. Here we discuss recent advances in the computational design and micromagnetic simulation of vortex-based nanostructures for information storage and processing.
We demonstrate how geometric and interfacial engineering in bi-component bow-tie nanostructures enables the formation of multiple stable vortex and vortex–antivortex configurations. These multistable states provide an effective route toward high-density multi-bit magnetic memory. It then explores frequency tuning in spin-torque vortex oscillators through localized modification of magnetic material properties, leading to improved resonance control, enhanced spectral purity, and optimized microwave performance. The collective dynamics of dipolar-coupled vortex lattices are also discussed, highlighting coherent gyrotropic modes and efficient magnetic energy transfer for future magnonic and wave-based computing technologies.
We also discuss the emerging role of a data-driven approach to accelerate the prediction and control of vortex dynamics. Particular emphasis is placed on magnetic field sequence-driven vortex state dynamics, in which carefully designed sequences of magnetic field pulses produce deterministic switching among multiple vortex states. Learning the relationship between field sequences and vortex responses enables rapid optimization of switching pathways, paving the way for programmable information storage, reservoir computing, sequence recognition, and intelligent spintronic information processing.
These advances together establish magnetic vortices as a versatile platform for future scalable, low-power memory, computing, and neuromorphic systems.

Speaker: Saswati Barman (IEM)

6 Phase Boundary pinning across a topological phase transition via interactions

We investigate the interplay between non-trivial band topology and strong electronic correlations in a two-leg ladder model with a p-wave-like hybridization between the legs. In the non-interacting limit, the model realizes a symmetry-protected topological phase and exhibits three insulating regions, denoted A, B, and C, characterized by free-fermion winding numbers 0, −1, and −2, respectively. Combining density-matrix renormalization group calculations with a continuum field-theoretical analysis of the two critical boundaries, we determine the complete quantum phase diagram in the presence of a repulsive inter-leg density-density interaction. Our analysis, based on the entanglement entropy and entanglement spectrum, reveals a striking dichotomy in the stability
of the topological phases under interactions. In particular, we find that the edge entanglement entropy undergoes a non-trivial change upon introducing interactions. This behavior is explained naturally within the continuum theory, which demonstrates that the two topological phase bound-aries respond qualitatively differently to the same microscopic interaction. The A−C boundary consists of two Dirac valleys located at ±k0 and is described by a free theory with central charge c = 2. The interaction generates an intervalley exchange that gaps the relative axial sector while preserving the total axial symmetry, leaving a single symmetry-protected critical mode with c = 1. Consequently, the interacting critical boundary remains pinned at tc1 = tc2, defining the A′ −C′ transition. In contrast, the B−C boundary contains a single Dirac mode at k = π. Here, the same interaction produces an additive mass renormalization through virtual high-energy modes, shifting the critical point to the B′−C′ boundary while preserving its single-Dirac, c = 1 critical character. These results provide a symmetry-based, interaction-dependent understanding of when a topological phase boundary remains pinned, is shifted, or becomes destabilized.

Speaker: Sudeshna Sen (IIT (ISM) Dhanbad)

7 Color Centers in Two-Dimensional Materials: Defect Engineering and Photonic Integration

Atomically thin crystalline layers have emerged as a distinctive platform for solid-state quantum emitters, offering a combination of exotic optical and electronic properties. This talk will give an overview on the landscape of color centers in hexagonal boron
nitride (hBN) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and their nanocomposites. In hBN, the negatively charged boron vacancy (V-B
−1) is firmly established as an optically addressable spin triplet, while the bright, room-temperature single-photon emitters spanning the visible spectrum remain the major research focus, with carbon-related substitutional and vacancy complexes the leading candidate. But in TMDCs,quantum light arises from excitons funnelled into strain-induced potential minima, with chalcogen vacancies and adatom complexes providing complementary, more localized states. Generation of controlled defects, where deterministic creation via nanoindentation and patterned strain is done by various processes such as focused ion and electron irradiation, femtosecond laser writing, and post-growth annealing has led to creation of visible light emitters. The photonic integration, covering the coupling of emitters to microcavities, plasmonic structures, and dielectric waveguides for directional collection, can exhibit ability to place a 2D host directly onto a pre-fabricated photonic circuit. Swift heavy ion irradiation enables controlled defect
engineering and reduction chemistry in GO–hBN hybrids, offering a pathway toward tailored quantum/defect emission and tunable optoelectronic devices. The challenges that these materials face such as unambiguous defect generation, spectral stability, and scalable spin-photon interfaces etc. before being deployable into quantum technologies
will be outlined.

References
1. Vidyotma Yadav and Tanuja Mohanty, Nanotechnology 34, 495204 (2023).
2. PK Kasana, A Pandey, T Mohanty, Applied Physics A 132 (1), 7 (2026)

Speaker: Tanuja Mohanty (JNU)

High Energy Physics

8 1

Speaker: Mamta Dahiya (DU)

9 Connecting the Missing Dots: From Neutrinos to the Dark Universe

The Standard Model of particle physics provides an extraordinarily successful description of the fundamental particles and their interactions, yet several important observations point towards
physics beyond it. The origin of neutrino masses and mixings, the nature of dark matter, the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe, and the connection between particle physics and the early Universe remain among the most compelling open questions in fundamental physics. In this talk, I will give a broad overview of some of these questions and discuss how different observations can provide complementary windows into new physics. I will explore possible links
between these seemingly distinct puzzles and how they may help us connect the missing dots in our understanding of fundamental physics.

Speaker: Manimala Mitra (IoP)

10 Unraveling Non-standard Physics via Neutrino Oscillations

Neutrino oscillations are among the most sensitive tools for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM). Three such well-motivated BSM scenarios are Scalar Non-Standard Interactions (SNSI), dark Non-Standard Interactions (dark NSI), and Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV).
SNSI is the interaction of neutrinos with environmental fermions, mediated by a scalar particle [1]. One of the most salient features of SNSI is that it appears as a density-dependent correction to the neutrino mass term in the effective Hamiltonian. It introduces absolute
neutrino mass dependence in the oscillation probabilities. It may be one of the most unique ways to explore the absolute neutrino mass scale. Another interaction, dark NSI [2], may arise due to the scattering of neutrinos with ultra-light scalar dark matter particles. Now the
contribution enters the effective neutrino Hamiltonian as a correction to the mass-squared term. Within the Standard Model Extension framework, neutrinos may also be impacted by LIV, which indicates the possible violation of Lorentz symmetry [3]. LIV consists of both CPT-violating and CPT-conserving components. The interplay of these two components, as well as their individual effects on neutrino oscillations, looks particularly interesting. We see notable impact on neutrino oscillations due to these non-standard physics scenarios. They may significantly impact the CP violation, octant, and mass ordering sensitivities of the
current and upcoming neutrino experiments. This talk will particularly focus on the effects on CP phase measurement and parameter degeneracies in upcoming long-baseline experiments. The results also demonstrate that these BSM scenarios can produce distinct yet experimentally testable signatures.
References:
1. D. Bezboruah, D.S. Chattopadhyay, A. Medhi, A. Sarker, M.M. Devi, Neutrino oscillations
in presence of diagonal elements of scalar NSI: an analytic approach. JHEP 12, 222 (2025),
[arXiv:2410.05250].
2. D. Bezboruah, A. Medhi, M.M. Devi, Dark NSI & neutrino oscillations: probing via
measurements at DUNE and T2HK, [arXiv:2601.04802].
3. P. Deka, A. Sarker, M. M. Devi, & S. K. Raut (2026). Interplay of CPT-Violating and
CPT-Conserving Lorentz Invariance Violation at DUNE, [arXiv:2607.06513].

Speaker: Moon Moon Devi (TU)

11 Mapping the phase diagram of Quantum Chromodynamics via heavy-ion collisions

Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) at high temperatures and baryon densities is expected to exhibit a rich phase structure. A central open question is whether the QCD phase diagram contains a critical point
at finite baryon density, marking the termination of a first order phase transition line. While lattice QCD has established that the transition from hadronic matter to the quark-gluon plasma is a smooth crossover at
vanishing baryon chemical potential, a variety of theoretical approaches, including effective models, lattice QCD extrapolations, and functional methods allow for the possibility of a critical point at finite baryon density, beyond which the transition becomes first order.
In this talk, I will discuss how heavy-ion collisions at high energies can be used to explore the QCD phase diagram and search for signatures of the QCD critical point. I will focus in particular on how fluctuations and correlations of conserved charges provide a quantitative connection between QCD thermodynamics and experimentally accessible observables, and discuss recent developments in extracting
information about the QCD equation of state and its critical behavior from heavy-ion collision data.

Speaker: Maneesha Sushama Pradeep (IISc, Bengaluru)

13:00 Lunch

Cosmology, Astroparticle Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics

12 Global cosmological signal detection experiments at radio frequencies

Standard cosmology predicts inevitable signals that should be observable as global or all-sky signals. These include the additive distortions to the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) spectrum from photons emitted over the Epoch of Recombination. Another is the monopole signal from the redshifted 21-cm signal from hydrogen over the dark-ages, cosmic dawn, and epoch of reionization when the first stars and galaxies form. These signals can be detected at radio frequencies, but there has been no confirmed detection to date. Separating foregrounds, dominated by galactic emission, is a fundamental challenge to detection. Instrument properties, including the environment of operation of the instrument is yet another challenge. I will discuss two experiments from the CMB DISTORTION Lab at RRI, Bangalore with a primary goal to detect faint
global cosmological signals. These are: PRATUSH - a proposed space based
experiment to detect the global signal from the cosmic dawn in the lunar farside over 55-110 MHz; and APSERa - an upcoming experiment that will be custom built to make a precise measurement of the CMB spectrum over 2-4 GHz, study any excess radio emission over these frequencies, and eventually detect the faint spectral distortion from the epoch of recombination. I will also discuss instrument design and foreground
separation methods that are used in these experiments.

Speaker: Mayuri S Rao (RRI)

13 Machine Learning in Galaxy Astrophysics

Warped galactic discs are common, yet their detection remains challenging, as the outskirts of galaxies are typically faint. Advances in deep imaging surveys improve the detectability of such features, while machine learning enables efficient analysis of large datasets. Using the Pan-STARRS EGIPS catalogue, we develop a deep learning framework by finetuning the Zoobot convNext-nano model on 1000 edge-on galaxy FITS images to distinguish warped and non-warped edge-on galaxies with 83\% accuracy. The trained model is then applied to a larger sample, identifying 2088 warped and 1398 non-warped galaxies with a high prediction probability threshold ($\geq 0.85$). Additionally, we use the model to predict on 3226 edge-on galaxies from the Euclid Q1 survey, demonstrating the model's ability to generalise across datasets with differing resolutions. To analyse the model predictions, we employ LayerCAM to identify the regions of galaxy images that contribute to the classification. We find that warped galaxies differ primarily in their structural properties, exhibiting lower axis ratios and higher asymmetry. Warped galaxies were found to be bluer, with younger stellar populations and enhanced star formation. These results highlight the effectiveness of deep learning methods in identifying subtle morphological features, such as warps, and demonstrate their potential for studying structural properties of galaxies in current and upcoming large imaging surveys.

Speaker: Arunima Banerjee (IISER Tirupati)

14 Cosmic Connectivity

Random fields arise in many areas of science, from materials and biology to climate and cosmology. While traditional statistics describe their local properties, topology reveals their global structure. We develop a statistical framework for Betti numbers and the Euler characteristic of excursion sets of smooth random fields by expressing them in terms of random topological components. This representation enables the study of their statistical distributions and Gaussian limits, providing insight into the use of topological statistics for physical inference, particularly in cosmology.

Speaker: Pravabati Chingangbam (IIA)

Soft Matter, Applied Physics and Sustainable Energy Technologies

15 Topology driven mixing of knots in DNA

At high salt concentrations and elevated temperatures, the persistence length of DNA decreases, increasing its conformational flexibility. Under such conditions, sufficiently long DNA molecules can accommodate multiple knots along the same contour. Using coarse-grained simulations, we investigate how two knots interact and reorganize under applied tension. We consider pairs of identical knots, 31-31, and knots of different topology, 31-51. We find a clear topology-dependent response. Identical 31-31 knots remain predominantly demixed over the range of tensions investigated. In contrast, 31-51 knot pairs preferentially form a mixed state at low tension and progressively demix as the applied tension increases. This difference correlates with the contour length occupied by the knotted region. For 31-51 pairs, the mixed configuration can occupy a smaller contour length than the combined contour lengths of the two separated knots, providing a conformational advantage for mixing at low tension. Such a reduction is much weaker or absent for 31-31 pairs. Increasing tension suppresses the conformational freedom required to maintain the mixed configuration and favors spatial separation of the knots. These results demonstrate that the organization of multiple knots along a stretched polymer is controlled jointly by knot topology and mechanical tension.

Speaker: Garima Mishra (Ashoka University)

16 Advanced Nanostructured Electrode Materials for Sustainable Energy Conversion and Storage

The growing demand for sustainable energy technologies has accelerated the development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems capable of supporting a clean energy future. Efficient technologies for energy generation, conversion, and storage—including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), water splitting, zinc-
ion batteries, metal-air batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and other next-generation electrochemical devices—are expected to play a pivotal role in global decarbonization.[1, 2] Their performance is fundamentally governed by the molecular design of high-performance
electrode materials possessing superior catalytic activity, rapid charge-transfer kinetics, abundant active sites, and long-term electrochemical stability. Recent advances in nanostructured materials, heterostructure engineering, interface modulation, and transition-
metal-based compounds have significantly improved the efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of these technologies. This presentation will highlight recent advances in transition-metal oxide and their hybrids for sustainable energy applications, with emphasis on
our work on WS2@NiO/ZnO heterostructures as highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for water and seawater splitting.[3] Developed through rational heterostructure engineering,
the catalyst exhibits excellent HER and OER performance, requiring overpotentials of only 131 mV and 320 mV, respectively, at 10 mA cm−2. The enhanced catalytic performance arises from synergistic interactions between WS2, NiO, and ZnO, leading to abundant active sites, high electrochemically active surface area, low Tafel slopes, reduced charge-transfer resistance, and remarkable long-term stability across a wide pH range, including seawater electrolytes. These findings demonstrate how rational nanostructure and interface engineering can accelerate electrochemical reaction kinetics and enable practical green hydrogen
production.

Speaker: Debosmita Banerjee (UPES)

17 From Bio-Waste to Sustainable Energy Materials: Carbon-Polymer Nanocomposites for Durable, Cost-Effective Applications

The demand for low-cost, environment-friendly materials is the main driving force for studying the utilization of bio-wastes as the precursor for synthesizing functional carbon in energy-related
applications. This talk outlines our group’s systematic approach in converting rice husk and tea waste into activated carbon through controlled carbonization and chemical activation, then integrating it into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer matrices. Detailed structural and electrical characterization exhibit enhanced dielectric response, tunable electrical conductivity, and promising piezoelectric energy-harvesting performance of the
nanocomposites. Results show that the interfacial polarization and charge transport properties are strongly governed by carbon loading and processing conditions. While carbon nanotubes (CNTs) provide superior electrical and mechanical properties for such applications, they still require high costs and large energy inputs for manufacture. Therefore, the main challenge and aim of this work lies in the rationalization of the design of higher-value, CNT-like carbon nanostructures that can
be produced from bio-waste through scalable, durable and sustainable route for next-generation energy technology.

Keywords: Bio-waste; Activated carbon; Carbon-polymer nanocomposites; Dielectric properties; Sustainable energy materials

References:
1. Halder, M., Halder, S., Mukherjee, A., & Meikap, A. K. (2021). KOH-activated microporous
carbon from tea waste for flexible PVA-based dielectric films. Applied Journal of Advanced
Carbon, DOI: 10.15864/ajac.21003
2. Sagar, B. et al. (2025). Biomass Waste-Derived Hierarchically Porous Carbon-Reinforced
ZnS/PDMS-Based Flexible Hybrid Piezo-Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Scavenging and
Sensing. Advanced Materials Technologies, 10(22), e00924.

Speaker: Monalisa Halder (DSE, WB)

Panel Discussion on Best Practices and Code of Conduct

Conveners: Simanti Bandopadhyay (Chair, ICC, SNIOE), Amita Das (IIT Delhi), Sourin Das (IISER Kolkata), Shubashree Desikan (Associate Editor, Shaastra Magazine, IIT Madras), Seema Joshi (Advocate, IC Member NALSA and INSA)

16:30 Poster Session with Tea

18:00 Campus Tour

19:00 In-house Cultural Program and Banquet Dinner

Saturday 12 September

Registration & Breakfast

Special Session in memory of Prof. Rohini M Godbole

18 Rohini's Contributions to High Energy Physics - Personal Reflections

Speaker: Anuradha Misra

19 Rohini's Contribution to "Women in Science" - Personal Reflections

Speaker: Vandana Nanal

20 Gender diversity in the Indian landscape : A personal perspective

I will discuss the under-representation of women in physics in India, over the years, particularly in senior positions. Drawing on my own experience, I will reflect on how the recognition of the problem and efforts to address it have changed over the last few decades. Although policies have evolved to support women in physice, they are still not sufficient to overcome structural discrimination and unconscious biases. I will conclude with my own suggestions, ranging from more systematic data collection, mentoring and gender sensitisation programmes, and changes in mind-set for spousal hirings, for more genuine equity. This is needed not just for women or for fairness, but
for progress in science.

Speaker: Sumathi Rao

11:30 Tea Break

Condensed Matter Physics

21 Interfacial Control of Spin-Wave Dynamics in Magnetic Heterostructures

Spin waves, the collective excitations of electron spins in magnetic materials, have emerged as promising information carriers for next-generation magnonic technologies owing to their nanoscale
wavelengths and charge-free propagation, which enables energy-efficient information processing [1]. A key challenge in realizing practical magnonic devices is the precise control of spin-wave propagation
and magnetization dynamics. Among the various approaches, interface engineering in magnetic heterostructures has proven to be particularly effective, as interfacial exchange coupling, magnetic anisotropy, and spin-orbit interactions can significantly modify the static and dynamic magnetic properties of the system.

Our research group at Ashoka University focuses on understanding and controlling spin-wave dynamics through interface engineering, material design, and external stimuli such as the strength and orientation
of the applied magnetic field [2,3]. In this talk, I will present two recent experimental studies that demonstrate how engineered interfaces in magnetic heterostructures can be used to tailor magnetization
dynamics and spin-wave properties for future spintronic and magnonic applications. First, I will discuss the static and dynamic magnetic properties of CoFeB/NiO/CoFeB ferromagnet/antiferromagnet/ferromagnet trilayers. These heterostructures are particularly attractive
because the exchange coupling at the ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interfaces gives rise to rich magnetic phenomena, including exchange bias and magnetic anisotropy, providing an effective route to engineer
spin-wave properties [4]. By systematically varying the NiO spacer thickness, we demonstrate a tunable two-fold magnetic anisotropy originating from the interfacial exchange coupling, which strongly
modifies the magnetization dynamics of the trilayer system. In the second part of the talk, I will discuss the modification of the magnetic properties of epitaxial La0.67Sr0.33MnO (LSMO)thin films through the deposition of a light metallic overlayer. LSMO is a half-metallic ferromagnet with a Curie temperature above room temperature, low magnetic damping, and colossal magnetoresistance, making it a promising material for high-frequency spintronic applications[5,6]. I will demonstrate how interface engineering provides an effective pathway to tailor its magnetic properties, offering new opportunities for designing next generation magnonic and spintronic devices.

References

1. M. Krawczyk, D. Grundler Journal of physics: Condensed matter 26, 123202 (2014)
2. R. Mehta, et al. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 35, 324002 (2023).
3. R. Mehta and S. Saha, Phys. Rev. Applied 24, 054034 (2025)
4. J. Zhou, et.al. Phys. Rev. B, 101, 214434 (2020)
5. J.-H. Park et. Al Nature, 392, 794, (1998)
6. S. Jin, et. Al. Science, 264, 413, (1994)

Speaker: Susmita Saha (Ashoka University)

22 2

Speaker: Ipsita Mandal (SNIOE)

23 3

Speaker: Pallavi Kushwaha (CSIR-NPL)

High Energy Physics

24 Beyond the Standard Higgs : Phenomenological Insights

The origin of mass in extended Higgs sectors may involve mechanisms beyond the conventional electroweak symmetry breaking paradigm. While the Standard Model (SM) attributes particle masses entirely to the electroweak vacuum expectation value (VEV), many well-motivated
extensions introduce additional sources of mass to nonstandard scalars through soft symmetry-breaking terms or contribute to the SM VEV through the vacuum expectation values of higher scalar multiplets. Such nonstandard contributions can significantly alter the masses and
interactions of the extended Higgs spectrum while leaving distinct experimental signatures. In this talk, I will discuss how collider observables, including Higgs signal strength measurements and
direct searches for additional scalar resonances, provide valuable insights into the origin of nonstandard scalar masses. Using the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model and the Georgi-Machacek model as representative examples, I will demonstrate how present LHC data constrain the relative role of electroweak symmetry breaking in generating nonstandard Higgs masses and reveal the structure of the extended scalar sector.

References:
1. arXiv: 2603.23280
2. Phys. Rev. D 109 (2024) 1, 015016

Speaker: Ipsita Saha (IIT M)

25 Machine Learning in High Energy Physics

Machine learning (ML) has become an essential tool in high-energy physics (HEP). It has changed the way how data is processed across every stage of a collider experiment. Today, ML techniques power real-time trigger decisions, detector simulation, object reconstruction, and final statistical inference. This talk provides an overview of ML applications in HEP. I will focus mainly on collider physics, and will highlight the shift toward end-to-end deep learning. By training directly on raw detector readouts, these ML architectures bypass traditional feature engineering, minimize bias, and unlock sensitivity in challenging signatures where standard algorithms fall short. We discuss how these modern ML techniques continuously expand the physics reach and discovery
potential of collider data.

Speaker: Swagata Mukherjee (IIT Kanpur)

26 Exploring dark matter production scenarios

In this talk, I talk about various thermal and non-thermal production mechanisms for dark matter. I highlight how the field has moved from the traditional WIMP searches to beyond WIMP searches. At the end I will focus on a particular non-thermal scenario where dark matter can be produced exponentially and discuss various limits and calculation challenges for this process.

Speaker: Disha Bhatia (APU)

12:45 Lunch

Cosmology, Astroparticle Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics

27 Approximate methods to model non-linear large scale structure

On very large scales in the Universe is the observed matter is distributed into galaxies, clusters of galaxies and superclusters with large void spaces in between. This spider-web like pattern of matter is very loosely referred to as large scale structure. This
structure is believed to have grown from tiny seed density perturbations laid down during the inflationary era in the history of the Universe. This evolution depends sensitively upon various parameters that describe the initial conditions and the overall expansion history of the Universe and, indeed, most modern observational surveys aim to map this large scale structure with the primary aim of constraining these cosmological parameters.
In order to carry out this exercise, one needs robust theoretical predictions. While, N-body simulations do a great job at tracking this structure, they have certain limitations. Firstly, they are computationally expensive and given the wide range of cosmological models, exploring the parameter space can become prohibitive. Additionally, they use a discrete-particle representation to model the density field and hence are shot-noise limited. This can be a hindrance particularly, while exploring primordial non-gaussianities or warm dark
matter models. In this talk we will discuss some alternative methods to model the growth of structure. Although approximate, they can give insights into the physics as well as serve as a complementary techniques to N-body codes.

Speaker: Sharvari Nandkarni Ghosh (IIT K)

28 2

Speaker: Sarmistha Banik (BITS Pilani, Hyderabad)

29 3

Speaker: Shilpa Kastha (SINP)

Soft Matter, Applied Physics and Sustainable Energy Technologies

30 Elasticity-mediated Morphogenesis in Interfacial Colloidal Assemblies

I shall discuss our recent work on the self-assembly of colloidal microgel particles at a quasi-two-dimensional air-water interface of a drying droplet. Using bright-field microscopy, we demonstrate that increasing particle elasticity drives interfacial organization from repulsion-stabilized crystallization to attraction-dominated gelation, via diverse metastable structures including clusters, voids and anisotropic aggregates. Molecular dynamics simulations using an effective potential that captures the interplay between hydrophobic, capillary, steric and dipolar interactions, reproduce the overall phenomenology of the observed colloidal morphogenesis. Our findings establish particle elasticity as a key parameter governing non-equilibrium structural organization of colloids at an interface.

Speaker: Ranjini Bandyopadhyay (RRI)

31 Active Control of Polymer Structure, Transport, and Topology through Localized Forces

Active forces provide a powerful means of controlling the structure and dynamics of soft and biological polymers. In this talk, I will discuss our recent work on how the spatial organization of activity controls polymer conformation, mechanics, transport, and topology. We first consider active polymers with distributed propulsion, where the interplay between activity and polymer connectivity leads to activity-induced swelling, collapse, and enhanced transport. I will then focus
on a flexible polymer driven by a single localized polar motor, where the position of the active site emerges as a key control parameter. Motors near the chain ends generate predominantly unidirectional tension, promoting polymer stretching and directed motion, whereas an interior motor transmits force toward both ends, producing contour accumulation and compression. At intermediate activity, this localized compression drives backfolding, self-entanglement, and a pronounced
increase in knot formation. Remarkably, a single motor is sufficient to nucleate knots, which subsequently migrate along the polymer backbone and are released at the free end, establishing a nonequilibrium cycle of topological creation and removal. Together, these results demonstrate how spatially localized active forces can be used to regulate polymer architecture and transport, providing a minimal physical framework relevant to motor-driven organization of biological polymers such as chromatin and cytoskeletal filaments.

S. Jaiswal et. al, “Critical role of the motor density and distribution on polar active polymers” Physical Review Research (2026)

Speaker: Snigdha Thakur (IISER Bhopal)

32 From Thin-Film Morphology to Device Performance: Insights into Solution-Processed DPP-Based Organic Field-Effect Transistors

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are attracting significant attention for applications in flexible electronics, wearable devices, sensors, and low-cost printed circuits. Achieving high electrical performance in these devices depends strongly on the morphology and molecular ordering of the organic semiconductor layer. In this work, we investigate the influence of solution-processing conditions on the morphology, crystallinity, and electrical performance of a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based small-molecule semiconductor, DBT-I. Thin films were fabricated using spin coating and solution shearing, and the effects of solvent selection and thermal annealing were systematically studied. The films were characterized using polarized optical microscopy (POM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) to establish the relationship between film microstructure and charge transport. Solution-sheared films exhibited improved molecular alignment, enhanced
crystallinity, and larger crystalline domains, resulting in significantly better device performance than spin-coated films. A maximum field-effect mobility of 0.26 cm2 V−1 s−1 and an on/off current ratio of approximately 106 were achieved under optimized processing
conditions. These results demonstrate that careful control of solution-processing parameters is an effective strategy for improving charge transport in organic semiconductors. With the growing interest in scalable manufacturing, printed electronics, and flexible sensing
technologies, understanding the relationship between processing, film structure, and device performance has become increasingly important. The findings of this work provide valuable insights for the design of high-performance solution-processed OFETs and support the development of next-generation flexible and wearable electronic devices.

References:
1. R. Raveendran et al., ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 2025, 7 (15), 6874–6884.

Speaker: Reshma Raveendran (SNU)

Photo session

Panel Discussion on Mentorship and Networking

Conveners: Esha Chatterjee (IIT Kanpur), Deeksha Gupta (ACS), Ekta Kapoor (DST), Bimlesh Lochab (Co-ordinator, SNIOE), Ajit Srivastava (IoP)

Editorial Session

33 Scientific Publishing Beyond Papers: Visibility, Community, and Career Development

Scientific publishing plays an important role beyond the communication of research findings. It supports research visibility, professional recognition, community building, and career opportunities within the scientific ecosystem. In this editorial talk, I will share perspectives from Wiley’s material science and physics publishing portfolio, highlighting journals relevant to researchers working across materials science, condensed matter physics, and related interdisciplinary areas. The talk will provide editorial insights into research publishing landscape while highlighting selected Wiley initiatives that support the visibility and recognition of women researchers. The session will also explore career pathways in publishing and editorial roles, encouraging students and early-career researchers to consider opportunities beyond traditional academic careers.

Speaker: Anushri Gupta

34 An Editorial Talk by ACS

Speaker: Deeksha Gupta

Valedictory Session

17:30 High Tea