For the overwhelming majority of organisms, effective communication and coordination are critical in the quest to survive and reproduce. A better understanding of these processes can benefit from physics, mathematics, and computer science – via the application of concepts like energetic cost, compression (minimization of bits to represent information), and detectability (high signal-to-noise-ratio). My lab's goal is to formulate and test phenomenological theories about natural signal design principles and their emergent spatiotemporal patterns. To that end, we adopted insect swarms as a model system for identifying how organisms harness the dynamics of communication signals, perform spatiotemporal integration of these signals, and propagate those signals to neighboring organisms. In this talk, I will focus on two types of communication in insect swarms: visual communication, in which fireflies communicate over long distances using light signals, and chemical communication, in which bees serve as signal amplifiers to propagate pheromone-based information about the queen's location. Through a combination of behavioral assays and computational techniques, we develop and test model-driven hypotheses to gain a deeper understanding of these communication processes and contribute to the broader understanding of animal communication.

CU Physics Prof. James Thompson explains how superheroes' understanding of fundamental physics ensures truth and thwarts villains! Sparks, explosions and plenty of action will punctuate this free STEM show that's open to students of all ages.

For over 40 years, CU Wizards presents FREE STEM Saturday morning shows for kids and their families. Visit: www.colorado.edu/cuwizards

Almost exactly 100 years ago, in the early months of 1926, Erwin Schrödinger published a series of four papers that would transform not only the prevailing theories of physics but also mankind’s very understanding of the nature of reality.  Though his work indisputably built upon the ideas of countless others, these papers crystalized the central and most astounding claim of what has become modern quantum mechanics: that at its heart, nature can be understood not as a collection of particles interacting in space but as the endless oscillation of an unseen “wavefunction,” which silently tallies and updates the probabilities of future events. In this talk, we will discuss the historical backdrop of these four transformative papers and then unpack the mathematical and physical innovations they contain (no background knowledge of math or physics is assumed). Finally; we will trace their centennial trajectories through the ensuing years, to reveal the enduring importance of these timeless papers, whose insights—and mysteries—have both only deepened with age. 

Optical lattice clocks that interrogates N atoms for an interrogation time T can, in principle, reach the quantum-projection-noise (QPN) instability σ_y (τ)∼1/(πν_0 T√Nτ), with ν_0 the clock frequency and τ the averaging time. In practice, however, dead time between preparation and readout aliases the local-oscillator (LO) frequency noise (Dick effect [1]), so the achievable instability is set by the LO noise spectrum and the duty cycle rather than by the QPN limit. This motivates zero-dead-time (ZDT) operation, which removes aliasing by maintaining continuous interrogation. Here we report Fourier-limited Rabi spectroscopy using longitudinal excitation [2] as a step toward ZDT operation of a strontium optical lattice clock, where the clock laser propagates along the lattice axis.
 

Following in the tradition of other NASA missions like Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope, the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is a future NASA FUV-NIR flagship that will revolutionize multiple areas of astrophysics. A challenging next frontier of astronomy and planetary science is to directly image temperate Earth-sized in planets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars, measure their spectra, and search them for signs of life. HWO will be the first observatory designed to tackle the question “Are we alone?”. An observatory capable of addressing this ambitious question will be the most powerful telescope NASA has ever launched, enabling HWO to study an astonishing range of targets across the universe. This talk will provide an overview of science progress on HWO so far, centered on the search for life, and with a look towards next steps.

The power of quantum information lies in its capacity to be nonlocal, encoded in correlations among entangled particles.  By contrast, the interactions between particles are typically local, posing both conceptual and practical challenges in understanding, generating, and harnessing entanglement.  To circumvent this bottleneck, we trap an array of atom clouds in an optical resonator that mediates effectively nonlocal interactions, letting photons act as messengers that convey information between distant sites.  We have developed a versatile experimental toolbox for programming the network of interactions and correlations, and for characterizing the resulting graph of entanglement via measurements of squeezed quantum fluctuations.  I will illustrate implications for advanced quantum sensing protocols and for simulating phenomena ranging from topological physics to quantum gravity.  I will also discuss prospects for extending these techniques to arrays of Rydberg atoms, opening new avenues for programmable quantum simulation in strongly interacting regimes.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

Abstract: Low energy collisions between molecules in the atmosphere lead to about 50% of the particles that act as the seeds for cloud droplets. Many of these molecules, and many of the other particles, are the result of human activity. Therefore cloud droplet concentrations have increased over the industrial period. The increase has led to a poorly quantified cooling effect on Earth that has offset perhaps a third of historical warming from greenhouse gases. The CLOUD experiment at CERN is a laboratory facility for the study of atmospheric particle formation. In my talk I will show how we are using results from this facility to represent this process better in climate models. As particle formation in the atmosphere is strongly dependent on meteorology, it is also critical to study how it happens in situ and to test our models with real observations. I will show how we are characterizing the process using aircraft measurements, in areas including the Front Range and the remote Southern Ocean.
 

Bio: Hamish Gordon is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies at Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests are focused on the effects of air pollution and natural airborne particles on clouds and climate. He received his first degree from the University of Cambridge in 2009, and his doctorate from the University of Oxford in experimental high energy physics in 2013. After postdoctoral positions first at CERN and then at the University of Leeds, he moved to Carnegie Mellon in 2019. In 2025 he was awarded an NSF CAREER grant for a proposal titled "Role of new particle formation in pre-industrial climate" and served as a forecaster and mission scientist for the HALO-South aircraft campaign from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Award winning educator and Physics Professor Michael Dubson demonstrates and describes in humorous, entertaining ways all about sound and music.

Students gain an appreciation of how beautiful classical melodies can played on sawblades, the secret of making creepy music that accompanies our favorite sci-fi films and how to crack a bull whip! 

Spin glasses are canonical examples of complex matter and form a basis for describing artificial neural networks.  Repeatable control over microscopic degrees of freedom might open a new window into their structure and dynamics.  I will present how we achieved this at the atomic level using a quantum-optical system comprised of ultracold gases of atoms coupled via photons resonating within multimode cavities.  The controllability provided by this new spin glass system has allowed us to directly measure spin dynamics and replica symmetry breaking, yielding the first direct observation of ultrametricity in a physical system.  We use this spin glass to realize an associative memory with a capacity exceeding that of the Hopfield model.

Continuous-variable quantum systems enable encoding complex states in fewer modes through large-scale non-Gaussian states. Motion, as a continuous degree of freedom, underlies phenomena from Cooper pair dynamics to levitated macroscopic objects. Hence, realizing high-energy, spatially extended motional states remains key for advancing quantum sensing, simulation, and foundational tests.
In the talk, I will present the following control tasks for various nonlinear mechanical systems, including trapped atoms, levitated particles, and clamped oscillators with spin-motion coupling.
(i) Nonharmonic potential modulation: Optimal control of a particle in a nonharmonic potential enables the generation of non-Gaussian states and arbitrary unitaries within a chosen two-level subspace.
(ii) Macroscopic quantum states of levitated particles: Rapid preparation of a particle’s center of mass in a macroscopic superposition is achieved by releasing it from a harmonic trap into a static double-well potential after ground-state cooling.
(iii) Phase-insensitive displacement sensing: For randomized phase-space displacements, quantum optimal control identifies number-squeezed cat states as optimal for force sensitivity under lossy dynamics.
These approaches exploit either intrinsic nonharmonicity or coherent nonlinear coupling, providing a unified framework for motion control in continuous-variable quantum systems—from levitated nanoparticles to optical and microwave resonators—paving the way toward universal quantum control of mechanical degrees of freedom.

Since 2019, the CUbit Quantum Seminar Series at the University of Colorado Boulder has been a cornerstone of Colorado’s rapidly expanding quantum innovation ecosystem. Each seminar brings leading quantum scientists, entrepreneurs, and technologists from around the world to campus, creating a rare forum where students, researchers, and industry partners engage directly with the people and ideas shaping the future of quantum technology.

More than a research showcase, the series sparks collaboration, inspires emerging talent, accelerates workforce readiness, and strengthens Colorado’s role as a national leader in quantum science and commercialization. This event continues that tradition—bringing the community together to explore new breakthroughs, exchange perspectives, and advance the region’s quantum momentum.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

Explore physics and quantum-related research through student showcases and poster sessions. Hear from industry executives Safy Fishov (AMD) and Billy Landuyt (ExxonMobil), and network with engineers from AMD. Food will be provided!

Visit the Research Expo website to RSVP or Register to present a poster:

• Register to present a poster by March 22.
• RSVP to attend by April 3.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

The Will Lab studies quantum systems of ultracold atoms and molecules. The lab cools atoms and molecules to temperatures less than a millionth of a degree above absolute zero, where atomic behavior is fully governed by quantum mechanics. Under these conditions, the lab controls individual quantum particles and their interactions with high precision using atomic physics tools, enabling novel platforms for many-body quantum physics, quantum simulation, quantum computing, and quantum optics. Their work spans from fundamental physics—including the first molecular Bose–Einstein condensates—to applied quantum technologies such as large-scale atomic tweezer arrays, opening new approaches to quantum information science and quantum networking.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

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I will discuss the standards of time and frequency and how these standards have evolved over the centuries. I will present the current definitions of time and frequency and how these definitions are likely to evolve in the coming years.

The Department of Biochemistry invites professors and scientists from other universities and institutes to present seminars at the University of Colorado Boulder throughout the academic year. These seminars provide an opportunity for faculty and students to learn about exciting current research.

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