Jörg Schmalian is the head of the Institute for Theory of Condensed Matter at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology where he leads a research group working on strongly correlated electron systems and complex quantum matter interested in understanding new materials with novel electric, optic, magnetic or thermal properties. Before moving to Germany, he was a full professor at Iowa State University and Senior Scientist at the Department of Energy Ames Laboratory. On this month's show, he talks to students from local high schools.