Intellectual Merits: The Institute for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (ITAMP) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is a user facility for theoretical atomic molecular and optical (AMO) Physics. Its core programs are the postdoctoral and the visiting scholars programs, workshops and topical groups and speaker series. AMO theory has played a vital role in motivating and explaining avant-garde experimental developments in AMO and condensed matter physics, astrophysics, chemistry and quantum optics. ITAMP has a notable reputation for training and mentoring postdoctoral fellows, who go on to occupy faculty and staff positions at leading universities, including Harvard and MIT, and national laboratories, such as Los Alamos, and Oak Ridge.
Broader Impacts: ITAMP makes its activities accessible to as large an audience as possible. The ITAMP website posts schedules of workshops, visitors, colloquia, information about programs and the ITAMP newsletter. The workshops are webcast and are archived for broad educational purposes. The education and training of young scientists in AMO physics theory is of primary importance to ITAMP. Postdocs organize luncheon discussions, and interact with high-caliber international scientists. Since 2007, four female postdoctoral fellows accepted assistant professor offers at colleges in the U.S., including one at MIT. A new student training and educational outreach initiative is the AMO Physics Graduate Winter School, in cooperation with the B2 Institute, featuring an all-star roster of lecturers.
