Some of the world's top theoretical physicists and chemists will meet at UNLV Feb. 1-2 at a workshop sponsored jointly by UNLV and Los Alamos National Laboratories.

The joint workshop on geometric phases in atomic and molecular physics will draw researchers from the University of Heidelberg; Harvard; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of California, Berkeley; California Institute of Technology; and University of Texas, Austin to the UNLV campus.

"It is quite an honor for UNLV to be cohosting this conference with Los Alamos National Laboratories and for UNLV to have such celebrated scientists visiting our campus," said workshop coordinator Bernard Zygelman, a UNLV associate professor of physics.

During the workshop the scientists will be discussing not only current research in the relatively new field of geometric phases, but also will talk about the direction their research should take in the future.

The geometric phase provides new insight into how atoms and molecules behave at the microscopic level, Zygelman explained.

The workshop sessions will take place at UNLV and at the Alexis Park Resort.

For additional information on the workshop, contact Zygelman at 895-1321.