Nikolay Prokofiev

Nikolay Prokofiev is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He specializes in condensed matter theory, particularly supersolidity, quantum Monte Carlo methods, and strongly correlated systems. His research has pioneered numerical approaches like the Worm Monte Carlo algorithm and Diagrammatic Monte Carlo method. Prokofiev received his MSc from Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (1982) and PhD from Kurchatov Institute (1987), working there until 1999. He has been at UMass Amherst since 1999, contributing to the theory of supersolids and superglass phases. His work includes studies on dislocation core superfluidity, fermionic sign problems, and high-temperature superconductivity. Prokofiev is a Fellow of the American Physical Society for his contributions to quantum dynamics and Monte Carlo methods, and co-authored Superfluid States of Matter.

Research interests focus on quantum fluids, phase transitions, and numerical techniques. Recent work explores superconductivity mechanisms, polaron dynamics, and topological defects in quantum systems. His publications analyze phenomena like superfluid depletion, bipolaron superconductivity, and transverse quantum fluids. Prokofiev collaborates with Boris Svistunov and other leading theorists, advancing understanding of strongly correlated systems.

• Awards: APS Fellow (2018)
• Key Concepts: Supersolidity, Quantum Monte Carlo, Fermi blockade, Dislocation superfluidity
• Labs/Teams: Part of UMass Physics Condensed Matter Theory Group