Matter torquing STOVs and STOVs torquing matter
Prof. Howard Milchberg
Distinguished University Professor
University of Maryland
Presented as part of the X-lites Virtual Seminar Series, leading up to the 2026 Structured-Light Incubator
Abstract: I will describe the new area of spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs), showing that they are necessary and ubiquitous structures in ultrashort pulse physics, and play a major role in intense laser-matter interactions.
About the Speaker:
Howard Milchberg received his B.Eng. in Engineering Physics from McMaster University and his Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University. He is a recipient of the NSERC Postgraduate Fellowship, the NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, the APS John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research, and the APS Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science.
He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and Optica, and serves as a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland.
Four of his Ph.D. students—most recently in 2025—have received the APS-DPP Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award.
Time: Friday, January 9th 2025 at 10:00AM Eastern
Location: Zoom
- This event is open to the public - Registration is free -
What is the X-lites Network?
The Extreme Light in Intensity, Time, and Space (X-lites) network promotes collaboration around the world to make use of new extreme light facilities.
The network is bringing together facility users and facility operators to support high-impact science and engineering using extreme light.
