Prospects for generating large synthetic gauge fields in dysprosium quantum gases

Highly magnetic atoms such as dysprosium offer large, possibly non-perturbative, dipolar interactions concomitant with extraordinarily large SU(2) spinors and novel atomic structure. Such properties are promising additions to the toolbox of quantum gas-based many-body physics. We will discuss a recent theory proposal [1] that points to exciting prospects for generating strong synthetic gauge fields in such gases, as well as for observing novel many-body states arising from spin-orbit coupling. We will report on experimental progress toward generating these fields in dysprosium.