On September 18-19, the world-renowned theoretical physicist Sir Michael Berry was invited as a distinguished guest speaker for the “Great Physicists Lecture Series”, part of the Science Light initiative hosted by the College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering.

Sir Michael delivered two academic lectures. In his first presentation, titled “Geometric phases old and new”, he provided a detailed overview of the historical evolution, research progress, and significant unresolved questions in the field of geometric phases. For his second lecture, entitled “A plurality of optical singularities: Intensity, phase and polarization”, he offered an in-depth exploration of three types of optical singularities—intensity, phase, and polarization. Beginning with an introduction to phenomena such as rainbows, he elaborated on concepts including caustics, catastrophe theory, and divergent series. He further delved into a range of physical and mathematical issues centered on singularity theory, highlighting that singularities are not confined to light waves but are present in all wave phenomena.

Following the lectures, Sir Michael engaged in in-depth discussions with the attending faculty and students, patiently addressing a variety of academic questions and facilitating thorough exchanges on related research directions. The event attracted active participation from teachers and students across multiple universities in Harbin, offering a valuable opportunity for direct interaction with a world-leading scholar.

Sir Michael Berry is currently an Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Bristol, UK, and is recognized as one of the most distinguished theoretical physicists of our time. Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1982, he also became a Fellow of the London Mathematical Society and a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences in 1995. He was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 1996. His numerous honors include the Dirac Prize, the Wolf Prize, and the Lorentz Medal.