Leon Balents

Leon Balents is a theoretical physicist at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) at the University of California Santa Barbara. He serves as Program Co-Director of the Quantum Materials program and holds the Yzurdiaga Chair of Theoretical Physics. His research spans correlated electron systems, quantum magnetism, and complex materials with particular focus on exotic quantum phenomena in condensed matter systems.

His research interests include correlation effects in one-dimensional systems, exotic quantum critical phenomena, topology in the solid state, and spin liquids in frustrated magnets. Balents has made significant contributions to the understanding of quantum spin liquids, topological materials, and more recently, twisted bilayer graphene systems. His work bridges theoretical concepts with experimental realizations, collaborating closely with experimental groups at UCSB and worldwide.

Key research trends in his publications show a progression from fundamental quantum magnetism to topological materials and quantum spin liquids, and more recently to twisted bilayer graphene and moiré physics. His work consistently focuses on highly entangled quantum matter where traditional theoretical approaches fail and new paradigms are needed.

• Elected Member of the US National Academy of Science (2019)
• Elected Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2018)
• Yzurdiaga Chair of Theoretical Physics (2017)
• American Physical Society Fellow (2013)

As an advisor, Balents has mentored numerous graduate students and postdocs who have gone on to successful careers in academia and research. He is deeply involved in multiple collaborative research initiatives including the CIFAR Quantum Materials program (which he co-directs), the UCSB Quantum Foundry (where he leads Thrust 1 on highly entangled matter), the Simons Collaboration on Ultra-Quantum Matter, and the EPiQS Theory Center sponsored by the Moore Foundation. These programs provide substantial research funding and collaborative opportunities for his students and postdocs.

At the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, Balents is part of a vibrant research ecosystem that hosts numerous programs bringing together leading scientists from around the world. His work benefits from close collaborations with experimentalists at UCSB including Stephen Wilson (materials growth), Susanne Stemmer (thin film growth), and Andrea Young (2D materials), creating a strong theory-experiment feedback loop that drives discovery in quantum materials.