Research Areas:
Quantum Many-Body Systems, Topological Phases, Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking

Prof. Haruki WATANABE received his BA and MSc degrees in Physics from The University of Tokyo with honors in 2010 and 2012, respectively. He obtained his PhD in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2015 under the supervision of Prof. Ashvin VISHWANATH. Following his doctoral studies, he served as a Pappalardo Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining HKUST in March 2026 as a Professor of Physics and an IAS Professor, he was a faculty member at the Department of Applied Physics at The University of Tokyo, serving as a Lecturer and subsequently an Associate Professor.

Prof. Watanabe is a theoretical physicist specializing in condensed matter theory. His research focuses on uncovering universal properties underlying quantum many-body systems from a symmetry perspective, including the general theory of spontaneous symmetry breaking, the classification of topological phases, and the properties of frustration-free quantum systems. His contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the New Horizons in Physics Prize from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation (2022), the Particle Physics Medal (2025), the Condensed-Matter Science Prize (2017), and the Yukawa Memorial Prize (2016).

In recognition of his outstanding achievements in science and technology, he received The Commendation for Science and Technology from the Minister of Education, Japan in 2024. He was also a recipient of the Young Scientist Award from the Physical Society of Japan (2016) and the Seitaro Nakamura Prize (2013).