Mission Statement

The Lorentz Center is an international center that coordinates and hosts workshops in the sciences, based on the philosophy that science thrives on interaction between creative researchers. Lorentz Center workshops focus on new collaborations and interactions between scientists from different countries and fields, and with varying seniority.

The Lorentz Center concept

In order to allow both junior and senior researchers to catch up with the rapid international developments and to establish new contacts and collaboration, Lorentz Center workshops bring together groups of 40 to 60 junior and senior researchers in a stimulating environment with working space for all participants: offices with a desk, personal computer, white boards, meeting rooms. Through a combination of informal talks, working sessions and discussions, participants are able to assess the status of a field and its future, and to collaborate, establish new international contacts, and spot upcoming talent.

Workshops can be proposed and organised by any researcher from any country. Workshops organised by researchers from different scientific backgrounds and nationalities are encouraged. Proposals for workshops are reviewed by the Program Advisory Boards. Currently, the Advisory Boards within the natural sciences are astronomy, computer science, lifesciences, mathematics, and physics. The Center is also open to proposals from outside these fields. Submission procedures are aimed at rapid evaluation.

Surrounded by excellence

The Lorentz Center is located in Leiden University's J.H. Oort Building which also hosts the Instituut-Lorentz for theoretical physics, the Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory and the Leiden Observatory. The Mathematics and Chemistry Departments and the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science are located in adjacent buildings. All Dutch universities and research institutes can easily be reached by public transport; the universities in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Delft and Rotterdam can be reached by train within an hour. Schiphol International Airport is only 15 minutes by train.

Collaboration with NIAS

In collaboration with the social sciences and humanities institute NIAS located nearby, the Lorentz Center welcomes proposals for interdisciplinary workshops that bring together one or more disciplines of the Lorentz Center with those of the NIAS. Proposals for these workshops are reviewed by the Interdisciplinary Advisory Board. Lorentz Fellowships are awarded by NIAS to scholars who are engaged in research across the boundaries of the humanities and/or the social sciences and the natural sciences. As part of the fellowship, the Lorentz Fellow is offered the opportunity to organize an interdisciplinary workshop at the Lorentz Center. Applications for Lorentz Fellowships should be sent to NIAS.

Support

The Lorentz Center is supported by
Leiden University,
Ministerie van OCW, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
FOM, the Dutch Physics Funding Foundation "Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie",
NWO, Research Council EW.

The Lorentz Fonds regularly supports workshops in Physics