As exoplanet science moves towards bigger, noisier datasets, smaller signals, and more complicated physical models, statistical inference is becoming more and more essential. In this talk, I’ll give a tour of my group’s work applying cutting-edge statistical methods in order to: 1) push the limits of exoplanet detection methods-- particularly radial velocity and astrometric methods-- expanding our understanding of what types of planets can exist;  2) look for patterns across populations of planets, informing theories about how planets form and evolve; and 3) maximize the utility of future data, particularly from the Gaia, Roman, and Habitable Worlds Observatories. I will also discuss my work on open-source software, highlighting the widely-used Bayesian orbit-fitting package orbitize! and the summer school Code/Astro.

The first year of a Ph.D. is our last opportunity to gather students heading into every research area and tell them one long-form story. Because they have just finished an undergrad degree, it is also our first opportunity to focus on the interconnections that make us so happy doing physics, to break out of the silos bounding undergrad courses. Also, many aspects of Physics culture can at last be expressed in concrete form, including symmetry/geometry as the drivers of physical insight. I'll offer an approach that focuses on crazy phenomena that make us ask, "How could anything like that possibly happen at all?" After so much education, students are sometimes shocked at how many such questions remain; some are delighted by how many of them are tractable with ideas that are in their heads, but not fully interconnected yet.

This century is witnessing a second quantum revolution, and quantum sensing represents an area in which chemists can make significant contributions. Achieving quantum sensing requires more than precise control of quantum states at the molecular level; it is also crucial to organize molecular qubits so that they function effectively in complex environments. In this seminar, I will discuss materials chemistry approaches to molecular quantum sensors, focusing on their extension from biological systems to engineered materials.
We have recently enabled intracellular quantum sensing by developing molecular quantum nanosensors (MQNs). By encapsulating atomically optimized molecular spin qubits within biocompatible nanocrystals, MQNs achieve highly uniform spin energy levels and enable room-temperature optical detection of molecular spin states inside living cells. Compared with existing quantum sensors, MQNs exhibit superior uniformity, making absolute temperature sensing within cells possible—an achievement that has been challenging to realize with conventional platforms.
I will then show how molecular quantum sensing can be extended into chemically programmable materials. By incorporating photoactive chromophores as components of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), these MOFs enable spatial organization and chemical accessibility of molecular qubits. This design allows quantum sensors whose spin coherence times respond to surrounding chemical species at room temperature. Finally, I will discuss how controlled molecular assembly leads to multilevel quantum states (qudits). Through precise chromophore arrangement, singlet fission generates spin-correlated quintet triplet pairs with submicrosecond quantum coherence, expanding molecular quantum sensing beyond two-level systems. Together, these examples illustrate how materials chemistry transforms molecular qubits from isolated spin systems into versatile sensing platforms that function across biological and materials environments.

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.

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We will have ~125 high school students from 4 different schools presenting projects they have completed this semester under the guidance of PISEC mentors. In addition to the poster session, we will offer lab tours for the students (12:15-1:15pm). This visit to CU and JILA will be an impactful experience for these students as they explore their interests and opportunities in STEM.

Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC) is the JILA-PFC outreach program that connects university volunteers with local K-12 students to engage in authentic scientific practices. We have programs at the elementary/middle and high school levels, and strive to cultivate students' interest in STEM and support their identities as scientists. Through mutually beneficial partnerships, we work to create pathways into STEM disciplines for youth while also supporting the professional development of university volunteers. 

Condensed matter physics aims to explore and understand various quantum phenomena that emerge from the interactions between nuclei and electrons. Through synthesizing and investigating various crystals, this constructionism approach has led to the discovery of many amazing phenomena, especially when the principles of electron correlation and topology play important roles. The settings of such conventional crystals are often very complicated, making it hard to extract the essential ingredients and understand the underlying physics. In this talk, I will show our efforts on establishing a new paradigm, based on a material known as rhombohedral graphene, which is part of natural graphite. Rhombohedral graphene has the simplest chemistry and structure, yet can be controlled by a set of experimental knobs to exhibit many intriguing phenomena in condensed matter physics. Beyond phenomena that were familiar, I will focus on two newly observed quantum phases of matter, chiral superconductor and fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect. I will show their construction, phenomena, and implications for quantum many-body physics and applications. In the end, I will discuss new opportunities to be explored in this new paradigm.

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.

Join us as we take a grand tour of the tiny stuff that makes up our universe. We’ll explore the secrets of light, discover how to create brilliant colors, and learn how to control beams of energy to make lasers! Then, we’ll shrink down into the microscopic realm to see how atoms interact to build everything around us. Finally, we'll put it all together to see how this weird and wild science is shaping our future through mind-bending quantum computing and super-sensing!

For over 40 years, CU Wizards has been introducing PK-12 students to the wonders of the natural world. All are invited to attend these FREE monthly Saturday morning shows!

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