M. Cristina Cristina Marchetti

Specialist in theoretical condensed matter physics. Pioneered the understanding of novel phases of vortices in high-temperature superconductors and of the remarkable nonlocal electrodynamics arising from large flux-liquid viscosity. Predicted, with D.R. Nelson, a new 'hexatic' phase of vortex filaments, a glassy version of which was later observed at Bell Laboratories. Created with others a systematic theory of driven elastic media in the presence of disorder at finite temperature. Produced, with Larkin and Vinokur, the definitive theory of vortex pinning by twin boundaries in the new superconductors, exploiting an elegant analogy with Mott variable-range hopping in disordered quantum systems. This provided insight on how to make these materials work efficiently in high magnetic fields. More recently contributed to understanding of active materials, including the instabilities of cytoskeletal filaments solutions, with T. Liverpool, and the hydrodynamics of bacterial suspensions, with A. Baskaran. Fellow, American Physical Society.