The New York State Section of the American Physical Society (NYSS-APS) is pleased to host its 134th Topical Symposium at the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, on Saturday, October 17, 2026. This one-day conference will bring together researchers from universities, national laboratories, and industry to discuss recent advances and emerging scientific challenges in the development, characterization, and predictive understanding of advanced materials for extreme environments.
Materials operating under extreme conditions, such as high pressures, intense temperatures, strong electromagnetic fields, radiation, and other far-from-equilibrium environments, exhibit physical phenomena that are often inaccessible under ambient conditions. Understanding how materials respond, transform, and ultimately fail in these extreme conditions is central to a broad range of fundamental and technological challenges, spanning fusion energy, high-energy-density physics, aerospace and defense technologies, planetary science, quantum materials, and next-generation energy systems.
Under the theme “Advanced Materials for Extreme Environments,” the 134th Topical Symposium of NYSS-APS will provide a forum to highlight recent scientific breakthroughs and to identify the major open questions that will shape the field over the coming decade.
The program will feature invited talks from leading scientists, opportunities for students and early-career researchers to showcase their work via POSTER presentations across all areas of physics. Poster presenters will receive free registration, and Best Poster Presentation Awards will be presented at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. A dedicated panel discussion will bring together experts to explore emerging opportunities, critical scientific roadblocks, and future directions for the field. The symposium will conclude with a dinner and awards reception, providing an informal setting for networking, scientific exchange, and the development of new collaborations.