CERC-LM Writing Retreat 2026 Brings Researchers Together for Two Productive Days

Name: Workshop on Molecular Quantum Technologies (MQT 2026)
Start: 2026-12-14T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-12-18T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Dreams Hotel, Puerto Varas, Chile

On June 29–30, members of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light–Matter Interactions (CERC-LM) gathered at the MIL campus in Montréal for the 2026 Writing Retreat, an event dedicated to advancing research projects while strengthening connections across the CERC community.

CERC-LM members participating in focused writing sessions during the 2026 Writing Retreat.

Over two days, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and team members participated in structured writing sessions designed to support focused work on scientific manuscripts, thesis chapters, research proposals, and other academic projects. The retreat provided a dedicated environment free from everyday distractions, allowing participants to make meaningful progress on their writing goals.

Beyond individual productivity, the event fostered collaboration and peer support. Regular breaks and informal discussions created opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, share writing strategies, and learn from one another’s experiences. Wellness activities, including yoga sessions led by a member of the group, helped promote balance and maintain energy throughout the retreat.

Participants enjoyed a supportive environment designed to foster productivity and well-being.

The event also highlighted the strong community spirit of CERC-LM. Participants worked together to organize meals and refreshments, contributing homemade snacks and helping with the setup and smooth running of the retreat. This collective effort contributed to a welcoming and supportive atmosphere that reflected the collaborative values of the research community.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many noting that the shared writing environment encouraged focus, accountability, and motivation. The retreat demonstrated the value of creating dedicated opportunities for researchers to advance their work while building stronger professional connections.

CERC-LM thanks everyone who participated and contributed to the success of this year’s Writing Retreat and looks forward to future editions of this initiative. A special thank you to Mirjam Fines-Neuschild, Principal Coordinator, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), whose leadership and dedication were instrumental in the success of the 2026 CERC-LM Writing Retreat.

Geometric Response in Open Quantum Systems: Coherence, Curvature, and Susceptibility

A new preprint by Eric R. Bittner and Carlos Silva-Acuña of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light-Matter Interactions (CERC-LM) explores the geometric foundations of response in open quantum systems. In“Geometric Response in Open Quantum Systems: Coherence, Curvature, and Susceptibility”. This work introduces a response-geometric framework for open quantum systems, revealing how coherence, curvature, and susceptibility shape both reciprocal and nonreciprocal responses in nonequilibrium quantum environments. The study identifies geometric work as a measurable signature of nonreciprocal behavior, providing new insights into the geometry of quantum response.

Preprint available in arXiv

Liouvillian Geometry of Multidimensional Spectra: Pathway Transport and Observational Holonomy in Open Quantum Systems

Congratulations to Eric R. Bittner, Carlos Silva-Acuña, and Hao Li, members of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light-Matter Interactions (CERC-LM), on their new publication:“Liouvillian Geometry of Multidimensional Spectra: Pathway Transport and Observational Holonomy in Open Quantum Systems.” The work introduces a novel geometric framework for understanding pathway transport and spectral signatures in open quantum systems, offering new insights into nonlinear spectroscopy.

Preprint available in arXiv

Welcoming New Core Team Members to the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light‑Matter Interactions

We are delighted to announce the expansion of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light‑Matter Interactions (CERC‑LM) core team with the addition of three outstanding researchers: Prof. David Cooke (McGill University), Prof. Saurabh Maiti (Concordia University), and Prof. Pascale Caïdor (Université de Montréal).

Their diverse expertise will significantly strengthen our interdisciplinary mission to advance research at the frontier of light–matter interactions.

Prof. David Cooke brings world-class leadership in experimental physics, with a focus on ultrafast terahertz spectroscopy and advanced measurement techniques. His work will enhance our capacity to experimentally probe and understand dynamic processes in quantum materials at unprecedented timescales, supporting the development of innovative photonic and electronic systems.

Prof. Saurabh Maiti contributes deep expertise in theoretical condensed matter physics. His research on superconductivity, quantum many-body systems, and emergent electronic phenomena will provide critical theoretical frameworks to guide and interpret experimental discoveries within the CERC‑LM, enabling the prediction of new quantum states and functionalities.

Prof. Pascale Caïdor adds a vital dimension to our team through her work in communication, organizational studies, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Her research on the role of communication in addressing inequalities and driving organizational change will help strengthen the governance, inclusivity, and societal impact of our research initiatives, ensuring that our scientific advancements are aligned with responsible and inclusive practices.

Together, these three scholars reinforce the CERC‑LM’s commitment to excellence by integrating experimental innovation, theoretical insight, and social responsibility. We are excited to welcome them and look forward to the impactful collaborations and breakthroughs that will emerge from their contributions.

Detection Defines Dephasing in Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy of Materials: Coherent Field Emission versus Incoherent Population Observables

New Perspective on Detection and Dephasing in Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy

Coherent multidimensional spectroscopy enables the identification of spectral structure and quantum dynamics with remarkable detail. Over the past two decades, the chemical physics community has leveraged these capabilities to address key problems across chemistry, materials science, and condensed matter physics. Yet, the information content encoded in these experiments is far richer than what is routinely extracted.

We are pleased to share our new Perspective, recently submitted for publication and now available on arXiv:

“Detection Defines Dephasing in Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy of Materials: Coherent Field Emission versus Incoherent Population Observables”

This work advances a central conceptual idea emerging from our recent efforts in ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy: the measured homogeneous linewidth is not determined solely by a material’s intrinsic quantum dynamics, but also by the observable through which those dynamics are projected experimentally.

In other words, detection is not merely a means of measuring a multidimensional spectrum—it is a constitutive part of what the spectrum fundamentally represents.

Using a unified theoretical and simulation framework, we demonstrate that coherent emitted-field detection and action-detected approaches (including photoluminescence, photocurrent, and related observables) can yield distinct operational definitions of dephasing, even when probing the same underlying many-body dynamics. More broadly, these results point toward the evolution of multidimensional spectroscopy from a general probe of coherence into a platform for observable engineering in complex quantum materials.

This direction forms a central component of the scientific strategy of the CERC Interaction lumière–matière / Light–Matter Interactions and the Institut Courtois, with the goal of designing nonlinear spectroscopies that selectively access the correlations, relaxation pathways, and emergent dynamics most relevant to materials functionality and quantum condensed matter.

We are especially pleased to highlight that this is Simón Paiva’s first first-author publication of his PhD, marking an important milestone and the beginning of a promising research trajectory.

We thank Simón Paiva-Ortega, Hao Li, and Eric Bittner for their collaboration and intellectual partnership on this project.

🔗 The full article is available on arXiv