Many fundamental advances in condensed matter physics have occurred just by asking “what on earth is going on with the conductivity of this sample?!” e.g., the Kondo effect, integer/fractional quantum Hall effects, superconductivity, etc. I this talk, I will begin with a guided tour through developments in the theory of mesoscopic electron transport, using Anderson localization as a backdrop. I will then explore a controversial series of experiments on nanowires which claimed to find evidence for an intrinsic lower bound on the resistivity and conclude by discussing ongoing challenges. Strong opinions from the audience are encouraged!
Note: This event will be in-person only