In Quantum Information Theory (QIT) one studies quantum systems consisting of a finite (potentially large) number of elementary systems with a finite-dimensional state space. The most common case is that of systems of qubits, each of which has a two-dimensional state space. The aim is to understand the potential of such systems for the storage and processing of information. QIT is made interesting and essentially different from the classical theory of information and computation (based on the Turing machine) through the existence of entangled states in quantum mechanics.

In Quantum Statistical Mechanics (QSM) one studies quantum many-body systems with a large number of identical particles or spins. Understanding the detailed properties of states that describe such systems, at zero temperature, in thermal equilibrium, or out of equilibrium, is at the core of condensed matter physics. The structure of these states is often very complex because of entanglement. On the one hand, many of the most interesting phenomena involve specific quantum effects and entanglement, such as quantum phase transitions, spin fractionalization, and topological order. On the other hand, when one wants to study these systems, whether analytically or numerically, entanglement is often what makes the problem hard.

It is clear then that researchers in QIT and QSM share an interest in developing techniques to quantify, analyze, and understand entanglement in quantum many-body systems. Over the past several years, very fruitful interactions between researchers in quantum information, statistical mechanics, and condensed matter physics have already taken place and we expect this activity to continue and to intensify over the next years. This workshop will bring together leading researchers in QIT and QSM focusing on the following topics: gapped ground state phases; dynamics and equilibration; area laws; entanglement and many-body localization.