We are pleased to announce that the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), in collaboration with CIMPA, will host a 10-day intensive school on the Fundamentals of Density Functional Theory (DFT) in 2027.
This school is a key component of the APhRICA (Advanced Physics Training and Collaboration with Africa) initiative and follows the success of our previous Physics Without Frontiers workshops.
Event Details
- Dates: 28 June – 11 July 2027
- Venue: Department of Physics, Earth and Environmental Sciences, TUK, Nairobi.
- Host Group: Materials Modelling Group
Scientific Vision
While DFT is the most widely used computational method in quantum chemistry and materials science, many practitioners use it as a “black box.” This school aims to bridge the gap in theoretical and methodological skills among East African physics students and faculty.
Our goal is to prepare participants to be active contributors to theoretical methodology and code development, rather than just consumers of existing tools.
Key Learning Pillars:
- Fundamental Theory: Moving from the many-body Schrödinger equation to Kohn-Sham auxiliary systems.
- Advanced Approximations: Exploring LDA, GGA, Hybrids, and Meta-GGA functionals.
- Dynamic Properties: Introduction to Time-Dependent DFT (TDDFT) and Linear Response.
- Hands-on Logic: Using the IDEA code for 1D model systems to visualize exact vs. approximate quantum mechanics.
The Teaching Team
The school brings together a local and international faculty, many of whom are long-term collaborators of the Materials Modelling Group:
| Name | Institution |
|---|---|
| Michael Atambo (Coordinator) | Technical University of Kenya |
| Matteo Gatti (Coordinator) | CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, France |
| George Amolo | Technical University of Kenya |
| Eleonora Luppi | Sorbonne Université, France |
| Victor Odari | Masinde Muliro University (MMUST) |
| Gladys King’ori | Technical University of Kenya |
| Miriam Chepkoech | Technical University of Kenya |
How to Apply
Important: As a CIMPA-funded school, all applications must be handled via the official CIMPA portal.
Additional pedagogical materials, including recorded lecture videos from our previous sessions, are available for reference at the Yambo e-learning portal.
This school is supported by CIMPA, the Technical University of Kenya, and the APhRICA programme.
