Pok Man Tam

Biography

Dr. Tam is passionate about the physics of the very many: how collective phenomena emerge in interacting quantum systems. As a condensed matter theorist, he applies field-theoretic techniques and mathematical ideas from topology and geometry to understand correlations in quantum many-body systems and uncover connections to quantum information. He also uses numerical methods, including tensor networks and neural quantum states, to simulate correlated quantum phases, and collaborates with experimentalists studying ultracold quantum gases and mesoscopic quantum materials. His current research focuses on gapless quantum matter, including non-Fermi liquids and anyonic fluids.

Research Interests

• Strongly correlated quantum matter

• Fractionalization and anyonic phases

• Quantum geometry, topology, and entanglement

• Quantum transport

• Superconductivity and fractional quantum Hall systems

• Ultracold quantum gases

• Tensor-network and neural-network quantum states

• Field theories and exactly solvable models of many-body systems

Scholarly Research

I am a quantum condensed matter theorist investigating the interplay between topology, geometry and interaction effects in quantum materials. Before joining Waterloo, I was a postdoctoral fellow in Princeton and UChicago, and I obtained my PhD from UPenn in 2023 under the supervision of Charles Kane.

Conceptually, I am interested in developing new frameworks to characterize fundamental and universal features of quantum condensed matter through topological and quantum geometrical effects, and relating them to the quantum information (entanglement) content of many-body systems. On the practical front, I collaborate closely with experimentalists to explore flexible platforms, in both ultracold quantum gases (e.g. ⁶Li Fermi gas) and mesoscopic solid-state systems (e.g. superconducting Josephson junctions), to propose measurements for quantized correlation and transport phenomena for detecting novel quantum phases.

My research applies topological band theory, quantum field-theoretic techniques (such as conformal field theory, bosonization, renormalization group and higher-form symmetries), as well as numerical methods (such as tensor networks and neural quantum states) to investigate correlated quantum matter. Recently, I am particularly interested in effects of fractionalization and novel phases in exotic gapless quantum matter, such as non-Fermi liquids, anyonic fluids and superfluids.
 

Recent invited talks include:

“A Tale of Two Topologies: Quantized Transport of Superconducting Topological Electronics”, NFSMP at Institute for Solid State Physics in UTokyo, July 2026

“Quantum Shape of Matter”, Recent advances in studies of strongly correlated electrons at ICISE in Vietnam, June 2026

“Quantum Geometry, Topology and Entanglement from Charge Fluctuations”, Invited symposium talk at APS Global Physics Summit, March 2026

“A Tale of Two Topologies: Quantized Transport of Superconducting Topological Electronics”, Leinweber seminar at UChicago, Nov 2025

“Geometry of Insulators & Topology of Metals: Entangled View from the Corner”, Kadanoff seminar at UChicago, May 2025

“Topology of the Fermi sea: ordinary metals as topological materials”, Harvard CMSA seminar, Nov 202

Education

2023, PhD Physics, University of Pennsylvania

2018, BSc Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Awards

2026, Leinweber Postdoctoral Fellowship, Leinweber Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Chicago

2023-26, PCTS Postdoctoral Fellowship and Sam B. Treiman Fellow (2025-26), Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University

2023-25, Croucher Postdoctoral Fellowship, Croucher Foundation

2023, Elias Burstein Prize for graduate research in Condensed Matter Physics, University of Pennsylvania

2014, Silver Medal, International Physics Olympiad

Selected/Recent Publications

• Pok Man Tam, Yarden Sheffer, Xiao-Chuan Wu, F. D. M. Haldane, and Shinsei Ryu, Fermi Surface Geometry from Charge Fluctuations in Three-Dimensional Metals, arXiv:2605.13951 (under review in Phys. Rev. Lett.).
• Xiao-Chuan Wu, Pok Man Tam, Xuyang Liang, Zenan Liu, Dao-Xin Yao, Zheng Yan, and Shinsei Ryu, Corner Charge Fluctuations in Higher Dimensions, arXiv:2605.13971 (under review in Phys. Rev. Lett.).
• Pok Man Tam and Charles L. Kane, Singular three-point density correlations in two-dimensional Fermi liquids, Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 096504 (2026) [Editors’ Suggestion].
• Ruizhi Liu, Pok Man Tam, Ho Tat Lam, and Liujun Zou, When does a lattice higher-form symmetry flow to a topological higher-form symmetry at low energies?, arXiv:2601.20935 (under review in SciPost Physics).
• Pok Man Tam, Hao Chen, and Biao Lian, Quantized Transport of v = 2/3 Fractional Quantum Hall Edge with Disordered Superconducting Proximity, Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 036602 (2026).
• Cyprien Daix, Pok Man Tam, Maxime Dixmerias, Joris Verstraten, Tim de Jongh, Bruno Peaudecerf, Charles L. Kane, and Tarik Yefsah, Probing the Fermi Sea Topology in a Quantum Gas, arXiv:2511.23353 (under review in Science).
• Pok Man Tam, Jonah Herzog-Arbeitman, and Jiabin Yu, Corner Charge Fluctuation as an Observable for Quantum Geometry and Entanglement in Two-dimensional Insulators, Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 246603 (2024) [Editors’ Suggestion].
• Pok Man Tam and Charles L. Kane, Probing Fermi sea topology by Andreev state transport, Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 096301 (2023).
• Pok Man Tam, Martin Claassen, and Charles L. Kane, Topological Multipartite Entanglement in a Fermi Liquid, Phys. Rev. X 12, 031022 (2022).
• Pok Man Tam, Jörn W. F. Venderbos, and Charles L. Kane, Toric-code insulator enriched by translation symmetry, Phys. Rev. B 105, 045106 (2022) [Editors’ Suggestion].
• Google scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5e31LLUAAAAJ
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9620-4689

Graduate Studies

I am eager to work with dedicated and interested graduate students. Currently there are openings for 1-2 graduate students, as well as opportunities for postdoctoral researchers in my group. Feel free to get in touch!