Title: Quantum Critical Phenomena and Dualities

Speaker: Dr. Prashant Kumar, University of Chicago

Abstract: Two-dimensional quantum critical points (QCPs) represent a fascinating set of phenomena that often involve an intricate interplay of topology, disorder, symmetries, and strong correlations. In this colloquium, I'll present the experimental observations at two such instances and discuss how dual fermionic descriptions offer a powerful framework for understanding them. First, we unify various quantum Hall transitions between abelian states into a single theory using a disordered composite-fermion approach. We'll explore its implications for dynamical critical scaling and super-universality. Then, I'll touch on how the thermoelectric properties at superconductor-to-metal transitions can be explained through a dual-fermionic vortex theory.