XXIX International School of Philosophy and Foundations of Physics: History and Philosophy of the Wave Function

Dates: 15-19 June 2026

The XXIX International Summer School in Philosophy of Physics of the University of Urbino: History and Philosophy of the Wave Function addresses a crucial topic at the intersection of physics and philosophy: the epistemological and ontological status of the wave function.

The School will explore both the physical and conceptual dimensions of one of the central entities of quantum theory. The sessions will examine the mathematical role of the wave function, its historical development within quantum mechanics, and contemporary philosophical debates concerning its interpretation and ontology.

This year’s edition is part of the broader celebrations marking the centenary of the birth of quantum mechanics, hosted across various European institutions, and aims to offer an original contribution to this collective reflection on the genesis and meaning of the theory.

As in previous years, the School will host internationally renowned speakers (see list below):
Speakers: Valia Allori (University of Bergamo),  Andrea Di Biagio (Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna), Alyssa Ney (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) and Wayne Myrvold (University of Western Ontario).

The program combines plenary lectures with seminars and student presentations, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages dialogue among physicists and philosophers, PhD students, and early-career researchers.

APPLICATION:

Deadline for applications: March 29, 2026.

Applications should be made by filling the application form available by clicking on "Apply Here!" at the bottom of this page, and should include:

1. A cover letter, detailing the applicant's motivations for applying

2. A CV, to assess the suitability of each applicant's background for the school

Notification of acceptance is expected no later than April 10, 2026.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS:

We wish to offer four young researchers interested in the topic of History and Philosophy of Wave Function the opportunity to test their skills by presenting their original papers to the other participants of the School in a dedicated workshop during the school. Interested graduate students, postgraduates, and early researchers are invited to submit their application by clicking the button below.

Deadline for applications: March 29, 2026

Applications should include:

1. An extended abstract suitable for blind review (no longer than 2000 words)

2. A title page containing info about the author(s) and highlighting the corresponding speaker

Notification of acceptance is expected no later than April 10, 2026.

The selected papers will be published in a special issue dedicated to the School in the Sophia: Research on Fundamentals and Correlation of Knowledge.

MORE INFOS:https://sites.google.com/campus.uniurb.it/xxix-urbino-summer-school/home

Director of the School: 
 Prof. Vincenzo Fano (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
School Organizers:
Marco Sanchioni (Sophia University Institute)
Niccolò Covoni (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo/Università Svizzera Italiana)
Organizing Committee:
Mario Alai (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Francesca Battistoni (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Claudio Calosi (Università di Venezia)
Niccolò Covoni (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo/Università Svizzera Italiana)
Vincenzo Fano (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Pierluigi Graziani (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Giovanni Macchia (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Flavia Marcacci (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Vincenzo Nespeca (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Simone Salzano (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Marco Sanchioni (Sophia University Institute)
Gino Tarozzi (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)
Isabella Tassani (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)

Program: