Institute of Physics

Physics research and education at our institute covers a wide range of topics - both experimental and theoretical, and ranging from fundamental to more applied.

The wave that keeps on breathing

Solitonic waves – waves that keep their shape and direction of motion for a long time – have intrigued physicists for almost two centuries. In real-world circumstances, these waves eventually die out due to energy ...
Reconstructing 25% of the Universe

The NWO Science Board has awarded an M-grant to the project “Reconstructing 25% of the Universe with the Large Hadron Collider”, in which UvA physicist Flavia de Almeida Dias is one of the principal investigators. ...
IoP welcomes three NWO Veni laureates

In the most recent round of Veni grants, NWO has funded three researchers to carry out a research project at the UvA-Institute of Physics. IoP welcomes the Veni recipients Stephanie (Alex) Brown, Kamran Salehi ...
Rubicon grant for Wenfeng Liu

UvA-Institute of Physics PhD student Wenfeng Liu has been awarded an NWO Rubicon grant. The grant allows Liu to carry out his project “Sequential deformations in pressurized shells” at Harvard University.
Veni grants for 28 UvA and Amsterdam UMC researchers

The Dutch Science Council (NWO) has awarded Veni grants to 28 promising UvA and Amsterdam UMC researchers. The funding will enable the laureates to further develop their research ideas over the next three years. The ...
QuRIOUS: a new doctoral programme on optical quantum clocks

The European Commission has decided to fund the doctoral network QuRIOUS – Quantum Research and Innovation in Optical clocks for Upcoming Scientists – which will train and develop the skills of 15 doctoral students ...
Physics meets fashion: a bioluminescent dress

A very special look was presented earlier this week by fashion designer Iris van Herpen at the Paris Haute Couture Week. The garment: a bioluminescent dress, created from 125 million living algae. Biodesigner Chris ...
Tomato plants’ sticky self-defence ‘minefields’

Many plants use tiny ‘hairs’ called trichomes as a first line of defence against plant-eating insects. New research by experimental physicists and plant physiologists at the University of Amsterdam shows how tomato ...
In Memoriam Leendert Gerrit Suttorp

On 17 March 2025 Leendert Suttorp passed away. For decades, he was a prominent investigator and professor at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of the University of Amsterdam.
Philippa Cole wins L’Oréal-UNESCO prize

Former UvA postdoctoral researcher Philippa (Pippa) Cole is one of the six winners of the XXIII Italian edition of the L'Oréal-UNESCO "For Women in Science" Young Talents Italy prize. The jury, made up of a panel of ...