About the department

The Department of Theoretical Physics (DTP) is an integral part of the Institute, consistently contributing to the quality scientific environment and production of the institute. Its members are recognized experts in their respective research areas and have extensive international working contacts. Research at the theoretical department covers topics in nuclear, subnuclear, and mathematical physics. Many prominent scientific personalities worked at the Department of Theoretical Physics, leaving a significant mark in their fields, such as P. Winternitz (later CRM Montreal), P. Vogel (later Caltech), P. Navrátil (LLNL and TRIUMF). In addition to research, the department is also successful in training the new generation of scientists, many of whom are leading figures in foreign institutions, such as T. Brauner (U. Stavanger), P. Siegl (U. Graz), S. Moroz (TU Munich). The department has also long been involved in organizing international scientific events and frequently hosts prominent foreign experts.

The main activities of the Department of Theoretical Physics (DTP) focus on basic research in the fields of nuclear, particle, and mathematical physics. Within these research directions, new topics reflecting current trends and knowledge are also being developed. Specifically, the research groups at DTP have achieved international recognition in the following four areas:

1. Structure of nuclei and hypernuclei and their interactions
2. States, interactions, and reactions in mesonic and baryonic systems
3. Phenomena at the subnuclear level described by the Standard Model (and its extensions) with an emphasis on strong interactions
4. Advanced mathematical methods for the study of quantum mechanical systems or systems described by quantum field theory

There are four research groups forming the Department: Hadronic physics, Nuclear physics, Subnuclear physics, and Mathematical physics.

Student Training and Science Popularization

Scientific staff at DTP also engage in student teaching. J. Adam and P. Veselý lecture on Nuclear Physics and the Quantum Many-Body Problem in Nuclear Physics, V. Jakubský lectures on Graphene Physics described by the Dirac Equation (Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, CTU). D. Gazda lectures at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, and P. Exner at the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering. An important part of educating future generations of scientists is also popularization. Members of the department participate in popularizing nuclear physics within the Open Science project under the auspices of the Academy of Sciences. They also organize the Theoretical Physics Day at the Institute, which is intended for high school students. Furthermore, they supervise bachelor's, master's, and doctoral theses.