Stoner Colloquium 2026 with Professor Frank Verstraete and Céline Broeckaert.

The School of Physics and Astronomy are delighted to host Professor Frank Verstraete and Céline Broeckaert for the Stoner Colloquium 2026.

100 years of Quantum Mechanics

2025 marks the centennial of quantum physics. No theory of physics has ever had such spectacular success. From ignorance about the structure of matter, quantum mechanics has brought us, in less than a century, to an understanding so broad, powerful, and precise that virtually all contemporary technology relies on it. The theory has enabled us to make sense of phenomena far beyond anything technology has yet been able to exploit. And all this, despite the fact that nobody truly understands quantum physics.

In this Stoner Colloquium, the husband-and-wife duo Frank Verstraete (Leigh Trapnell Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of Cambridge) and Céline Broeckaert (author and playwright) tell the story of quantum mechanics and demystify this essential branch of science. Together, they unravel the reasons the universe behaves in its weird ways – and just why it’s so important to understand them.

About the speakers
Frank Verstraete is the Leigh Trapnell Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of Cambridge, and his wife, Céline, is an author and actress. Prof. Verstraete is internationally renowned for his pioneering work on the interface between quantum information theory and quantum many- body physics. In addition to being an exceptional researcher, he is a gifted communicator and the co‑author, alongside Céline, of ‘Why Nobody Understands Quantum Mechanics’.

Venue Details

Parking for visitors

Parking is available to the public in the Orange Zone on weekday evenings (5pm – 7am), which includes the Edge (w3w.co/option.exams.member) and Multistorey (w3w.co/market.tree.fees) car parks. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is in operation in this car park.

Please do not pay on arrival. Payment for parking is required as per the tariff displayed within the car parks and should be made before exit at any of the cashless pay machines. These tariffs also apply to Blue Badge holders.

Find out more information at https://estates.leeds.ac.uk/our-services/car-parking/visitor-parking/#public-info

Accessibility

For information regarding accessibility, please visit: accessable.co.uk/university-of-leeds/access-guides/michael-sadler

Refreshments will be served after the talk (6:30pm - 7pm). Please note that this part of the event is only open to those over 18 years old.

For further enquiries, please contact Physics.Research@leeds.ac.uk