Wolfgang Ketterle (21 October 1957) is a German physicist and professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research has focused on experiments that trap and cool atoms to temperatures close to absolute zero, and he led one of the first groups to realize Bose–Einstein condensation in these systems in 1995. For this achievement, as well as early fundamental studies of condensates, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001, together with Eric Allin Cornell and Carl Wieman (source: Wikipedia)

On Wednesday 27 September 2017, Prof Ketterle will give a talk at the annual 't Hooft Lezing of the Department of Physics in Utrecht. 

16:00 Opening

16:30 Colloquium

17:30 Reception

Abstract

Why do physicists freeze matter to extremely low temperatures?  Why is it worthwhile to cool to temperatures which are a billion times lower than that of interstellar space?  In this talk, I will discuss new forms of matter, which only exist at extremely low temperatures.  With the help of laser beams, gases of ultracold atoms can be transformed into solids and insulators, and recently into a supersolid which is gaseous, solid and liquid at the same time.

Nice side reading from Runners World:

'I'm a Runner': Wolfgang Ketterle, Nobel Prize-winning physicist talks about his 2:50 marathon and how running helps him stay at the top of science. 

Location

Theatron, Educatorium, Leuvenlaan 19, Utrecht