PHD: Pim Keizer

Utrecht University

Email: p.s.keizer@uu.nl

Short Biography

Starting October 1^st 2022, I am a PhD candidate in the Condensed Matter Interfaces group under supervision of dr. Zanolli and prof. Morais Smith within the QuMat program. My research focuses on the modeling of the next generation’s quantum materials. With state of the art numerical methods – i.e. density functional theory -, our group designs novel materials operating in the quantum domain. In particular, I am specialized in topological phases of matter: materials which possess highly conductive boundaries but are strictly insulative in the bulk. Their unique conductive properties allows for promising applications in quantum computation – the future of contemporary computers.

In the years before, I was a student in Applied Physics associated with the Eindhoven University of Technology (BSc. 2014 – 2017 and MSc. 2018 – 2022). Here, I have specialized myself in condensed matter theory by following courses in Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University and pursuing an external internship at Basel Universität in the Condensed Matter Theory & Quantum Computation group of prof. Jelena Klinovaja and prof. Daniel Loss. For my Master’s thesis, I worked in the Advanced Nanomaterials & Devices group under supervision of prof. Erik Bakkers.

Furthermore, I enjoyed ten years of training in classical piano and I am a self-taught guitar and bass guitar enthusiast. I entertain myself with playing and writing music as a hobby ranging from blues to progressive rock. For the past couple of months I picked up bouldering (indoors free-climbing) as a new sport, which I like to interpret as solving puzzles while hanging freely on a wall.