Simons Science School in Chemistry and Physics 2025

From September 28 to October 5, 2025 in Vienna

STEM education and the training of future scientists, innovators, and high-tech entrepreneurs play a key role in Ukraine's future recovery. The Ukrainian education system excels at identifying gifted youths and at nurturing them in specialised STEM schools and a highly-developed culture of science olympiads and research competitions. This experience should be studied and supported at the highest level, recognizing it as a national asset. Collaborative projects in STEM education between Ukraine and the EU will be to everyone's benefit and promote Ukraine's further integration into the EU.

The Simons Science School in Chemistry and Physics is a one-week program for Ukrainian high school students who have excelled at science competitions. The goal is to foster the students’ interest in science, to introduce them to potential research careers, and to inspire them to apply their talents to shape Ukraine’s future. During their week in Vienna, participants will engage with cutting-edge research groups of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, the University of Vienna, and TU Wien.

This event is made possible by a generous gift of the Simons Foundation, the support of the Erwin Schrödinger Institute, our unbelievable volunteers, and the work of Dmytro Rzhemovskyi and his team from Projekt MmF

Jim Simons sets an outstanding example to us all.

Simons Science School in Chemistry and Physics 2024

The participants of the Simons Science School in Mathematics are Ukrainian prize-winners of national and international science competitions in mathematics, physics, and computer science. They are students of two Ukraine’s prominent specialized science schools: the Ukrainian Physics and Mathematics Lyceum in Kyiv and the Lviv Physics and Mathematics Lyceum.

 Program

Sunday, September 25

  • 11:30 Arrivals in Vienna
  • 11:30 − 13:00 Check-in at Hotel Geblergasse
  • 13:30 − 14:30 Lunch at TBA 
  • 16:00 − 18:30 Free time and sports in Donaupark
  • 19:00 − 20:00 Dinner at TBA

Monday, September 29

University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics

Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information

  • 14:00 − 14:40 Introductory lecture by Markus Aspelmeyer
  • 14:40 − 15:20 Labtours
  • 18:30 − 19:15 Dinner by Radatz at the Faculty of Mathematics

Tuesday, September 30

Vienna BioCenter

Wednesday, October 1

Institute of Science and Technology Austria.

  • 07:30 − 08:00 Breakfast at Hotel Geblergasse
  • 09:10 − 09:45 Bus transfer to ISTA (Bus No. 400)
  • 10:00 − 11:00 Research group Quantum Dynamics and Condensed Matter Theory
    • Lecture and group presentation by Maksym Serbyn and Dmytro Kolisnyk
  • 11:15 − 12:15 Presentation and guided tour of ISTA
  • 12:30 − 13:15 Lunch at ISTA's cafeteria
  • 13:30 − 14:30 Research group Emergent electronic phenomena in 2D materials
    • Lab tours by Hryhoriy Polshyn
  • 18:30 – 19:15 Dinner by Radatz at the Faculty of Mathematics

Thursday, October 2

Atominstitut of the TU Wien

  • 07:30 − 08:00 Breakfast at Hotel Geblergasse
  • 10:00 − 12:00 Atominstitut
  • 12:30 − 13:00 Lunch at University of Vienna's Cafeteria (Kolingasse)
  • 18:30 − 19:15 Dinner by Radatz at the Faculty of Mathematics

Friday, October 3

Austrian Academy of Sciences

Erwin-Schrödinger-Institute (ESI)

  • 14:00 − 15:00 Presentation of ESI and Meet & Greet with ESI Director Christoph Dellago
  • 18:30 − 20:00 Dinner and Meet & Greet with scientists at Sägewerk

Saturday, October 4

Sunday, October 5

Speakers

Coordinator and Contact Person

For any questions regarding Simons Science School in Chemistry and Physics 2025, please feel free to contact Dmytro Rzhemovskyi via email at dmytro.rzhemovskyi@univie.ac.at .

Sponsors

Partners

Support

Participating Schools

Lviv Physics and Mathematics Lyceum

Ukrainian Physics and Mathematics Lyceum