Lecturer: Erez Berg (Weizmann Institute )    

Abstract:
 Metallic quantum critical phenomena are believed to play a
key role in many strongly correlated materials, including high
temperature superconductors. Theoretically, the problem of quantum
criticality in the presence of a Fermi surface has proven to be highly
challenging. However, it has recently been realized that many models
used to describe such systems are amenable to numerically exact
solution by quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) techniques, without suffering
from the fermion sign problem. I will review the status of the
understanding of metallic quantum criticality, and the recent progress
made by QMC simulations. The results obtained so far will be
described, as well as their implications for superconductivity,
non-Fermi liquid behavior, and transport in the vicinity of metallic
quantum critical points. Some of the outstanding puzzles and future
directions are highlighted.