Three IFE physicists on prestigious team

The group «Complex Matter Science» is organized under the «Centre for Advanced Studies» (CAS) at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo.

- We are trying to find universality and orderliness in something that appears random and unorganized. To find the essence in something complex, says Arne Skjeltorp.

Skjeltorp has recently retired after 31 years at IFE, 19 as Head of the Physics Department. Together with Deputy Head Geir Helgesen and Senior Researcher Kenneth Knudsen, he will take part in the prestigious work.

What is the length of a cloud? In complex physics one must accept that not all things are on a measurable scale, says Arne Skjeltorp. The three physicists from IFE participating in CAS’ Complex group the year 2011/12 is (from left) Arne Skjeltorp, Kenneth Knudsen and Geir Helgesen.

The group will be headed by Professor Tom Henning Johansen from the University of Oslo. A total of 20 participants take part in the project. Read more about the group’s work in this short abstract.

The IFE researchers expect to gain new insight and ideas from the CAS collaboration. They also emphasize sharing the knowledge with the new generation of researchers. Many of the seminars and meetings in the project will be open to students and scholarship holders in the field. They have also set an independent goal:

- The ambition is to write a popular science book based on what comes out of this effort, states Arne Skjeltorp.

Read more about CAS here.