The critical Abelian Higgs model (AHM) is a system of nonlinear wave equations arising in particle physics. We construct solutions of this system in 3+1 dimensions that exhibit a number of slowly-moving nearly parallel vortex filaments. The leading-order dynamics of this ensemble of filaments are described by a wave map into the moduli space, a manifold carrying a natural Riemannian structure that parametrizes stationary 2D solutions of the AHM. These results allow for the study of the poorly-understood phenomenon of vortex reconnection in this setting. In particular, it is shown that in the regime studied, reconnection is the generic outcome of collisions of pairs of vortex filaments. Extremely similar results are also proved for the critical Abelian Higgs heat flow, modeling certain superconductors, near-critical versions of these equations, and in higher dimensions. This work is joint with Masoud Geevechi.

Academic posters are a useful communication method to present your PhD project, engage people in fruitful discussions and gain new input for your research. To suit that purpose, a poster needs to be carefully designed, both from the contents' side and the visual appearance. Starting with the content, we will extract the key messages from your projects. All the way from the research question at hand, to the results and finally to the discussion and open questions. Keeping the target audience in mind, we will determine what should be on the poster and how we can communicate it efficiently. With the aim in mind to reduce text to an absolute minimum, we will focus next on the visuals that should go on the poster. These can include photographs, maps, schematic drawings, diagrams or other data visualizations. Having determined the contents, we will address the graphic design both of the individual visuals as well as of the poster as a whole. You will learn how to use a grid and white space, choose colors, fonts and font sizes etc. to produce an aesthetically pleasing and effective poster.

During the workshop each participant will design his / her poster about his / her own PhD project. You need to bring text and figures (diagrams, charts, schematics, photos etc.) describing your project. Poster drafts are welcome as well.

Learning outcomes:
Participants know the typical elements / contents of an academic poster.
They learn to extract and focus on the key messages from their projects.
They are able to differentiate key points from by-standing information.
They learn how to adapt their communication to their target audience.
Thus, they can determine what contents at which level of detail / expertise should be on their poster and what can be skipped.
They know how much information in words and visuals should be on a poster (information limit).
They learn how to visually structure a poster with a grid.
They are able to use graphic design (color, white space, typography etc.) to achieve a visual hierarchy, guide the viewer through the poster and give an overall aesthetically pleasing result.
They know technical details such as how to save a poster for printing, required resolution of figures and file formats.

Please note: On the second seminar day, participants will have the opportunity to receive individual feedback on their posters or poster drafts.

Please note: The meetings on the 27. & 28.10. will be conducted as one-on-one feedback sessions with 30 minutes per person.

The activity-based workshop, led by a theatre professional uses improvisation and free-speaking exercises as concrete tools to prepare speakers for unexpected situations that occur during online presentations, meetings and discussions. Practical techniques help participants to step out of their comfort zone and to develop their authority, focus anxiety, prepare for blackouts, technical challenges and to become more self-reliant. The training is tailored to individual participant questions and uses role-play to investigate proposed scenarios and to train coping strategies, which can be applied in virtual and non-virtual situations.

Description
The first day of the seminar begins with verbal and non-verbal communication training, connecting breathing to thinking, in order to relieve panic in stressful situations. This is followed by training with improvisation exercises to help presenters maintain their focus and composure and to cultivate quick thinking and problem solving, followed by free-speaking exercises to train quick thinking, staying focused, engaging an audience in a topic, and maintaining authority. Strategies are then discussed and practiced to deal with disruptions during the impromptu talks.

In the second session, participants will explore various challenges in meetings as well as in online Q&A sessions. Techniques are trained to handle awkward situations. Role-play situations are tailored, practiced, and discussed in the roles as presenters, meeting facilitators and Q&A moderators.

Contents in brief
- Breathing and focusing exercises for stress management
- Free-Speaking Exercises
- Improvisation Techniques for quick thinking and problem solving
- Role-play disruptions during talks, meetings, and discussions
- Tailored coaching and individual feedback

Methods
- Individual, pair and group working exercises
- Breakout room activities
- Voice and non-verbal communication coaching
- Improvisation techniques
- Role-play exercises and discussion