JILA News

Jun Ye, a distinguished Fellow at JILA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and a physics professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, has been honored with the 2025 Berthold Leibinger Zukunftspreis. 

Dr. Olivia Krohn, a former JILA graduate student and now a postdoctoral researcher at Sandia National Laboratories, has been awarded the prestigious Justin Jankunas dissertation award, given out by the American Physical Society (APS) division of chemical physics at the APS Global Summit conference. This award recognizes exceptional doctoral research that advances the frontiers of physics. Krohn’s award highlights her dissertation research, which bridges the legacy of JILA’s origins in astrophysics with its current role as a global leader in atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics.

Congratulations to JILA graduate students Anya Grafov and Iona Binnie—who conduct their cutting-edge research in the laboratory of JILA Fellows and the University of Colorado Boulder professors Margaret Murnane and Henry Kapteyn—for their outstanding achievements at the MMM Intermag 2025 conference!

Carl Sauer, a distinguished electrical engineer, passed away on February 2nd, 2025. He is survived by his wife and two sons, Carl and Evan. Sauer's passion for electrical engineering led him to a remarkable career marked by innovation and dedication.

JILA Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Physicist and University of Colorado Boulder physics professor Dr. Adam Kaufman has been awarded the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).  President Joe Biden announced that this accolade represents the highest honor conferred by the U.S. government to early-career scientists and engineers who exhibit extraordinary potential and leadership in their respective fields. Kaufman’s groundbreaking contributions to quantum science have cemented his place among nearly 400 recipients recognized for their innovative research and commitment to advancing scientific frontiers.

JILA graduate student Clay Klein has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Nick Cobb Memorial Scholarship, presented by SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, and Siemens EDA. The scholarship, valued at $10,000, recognizes Klein’s outstanding contributions to the field of optics and photonics.

JILA Fellow and the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado Boulder Distinguished Professor Mitch Begelman has been inducted as a 2025 American Astronomical Society (AAS) Fellow. Joining Professor Begelman in this recognition are APS Professors James Green and J. Michael Shull, now an Adjunct Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Together, their contributions underscore CU Boulder’s leadership in astrophysics and planetary sciences.

Shuo Sun, Associate Fellow at JILA and Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder has been awarded a prestigious NSF CAREER Award for his research proposal, “Developing a High-Dimensional Photonic Quantum Register for the Quantum Internet.”

JILA and NIST Fellow and CU Boulder Physics Professor Jun Ye has been named a 2024 Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate. This distinction is awarded to scientists whose work ranks in the top 1% of citations globally. Ye, known for his groundbreaking contributions to precision measurement and atomic, molecular, and optical physics, joins an elite list of researchers shaping the forefront of scientific innovation.

The JILA community mourns the loss of Dr. Alan Gallagher, a trailblazing physicist, esteemed mentor, and JILA Fellow Adjoint, who passed away on November 20, 2024, at the age of 88.

Gallagher’s career was marked by an enduring commitment to scientific inquiry and innovation, particularly in the realms of atomic and molecular physics. He was known for his pioneering work on collisional radiation and line-shape theory, including research that utilized spectroscopic methods to map out atomic and molecular interaction potentials. His contributions reshaped our understanding of phenomena such as pressure broadening and the spectra of colliding atoms.
 

In a recently released NOVA documentary called "Decoding the Universe: Quantum," JILA and NIST Fellow and CU Boulder Physics Professor Jun Ye brings his expertise to the screen, unveiling the mysteries of quantum mechanics and atomic clocks.

Flari Tech Inc., a startup rooted in cutting-edge JILA research, has clinched one of the prestigious 2024 Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) grants from the University of Colorado Boulder, advancing its pioneering work to build a breathalyzer for diagnostics use targeting life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer.  

Developed at JILA by a team led by JILA and NIST Fellow and CU Boulder Physics professor Jun Ye and JILA graduate students Qizhong Liang and Apoorva Bisht, Flari Tech’s innovative diagnostic tool is powered by the Nobel Prize-winning optical frequency comb and aims to bring a novel, non-invasive, faster method for lung cancer detection for clinical use.
 

JILA and the University of Colorado Boulder Physics Department are excited to co-host the upcoming CU*IP conference in January 2025. This three-day event focuses on talks, workshops, and community building for undergraduate women and gender minorities in physics. As part of the American Physical Society's Conferences for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics (CU*IP), the conference aims to support and inspire students to continue in the field.

JILA postdoctoral researcher Simon Scheidegger has received the prestigious METAS 2024 Award from the Swiss Physical Society (SPS). Scheidegger, who is part of JILA and NIST Fellow Jun Ye's laboratory group, was awarded for his pioneering research on precise measurements of hydrogen energy levels during his PhD at ETH Zurich. 

The second installment of the JILA JAGS (JILA Association of Graduate Students) Seminar series recently took place, featuring an exciting lineup of talks by graduate students pushing the boundaries of scientific research. 

The event highlighted the work of Bejan Ghomashi from the Becker Group, Trevor Kieft from the Lewandowski Group, and Emma Nelson from the Kapteyn/Murnane Group, who each presented their cutting-edge research to an engaged audience.

Adam Kaufman, a JILA Fellow, NIST Physicist, and CU Boulder Physics Professor, has been awarded part of a $1.25 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation as part of its third annual cohort of Experimental Physics Investigators.

JILA and University of Colorado Boulder Physics graduate student Emma Nelson achieved notable recognition by securing 3rd place at the CU Boulder 2024 Innovation in Materials Symposium on August 15, 2024. Held at CU Boulder, this symposium is a significant platform for the materials research community, bringing together faculty, students, and industry professionals from CU Boulder and beyond. The event is dedicated to supporting interdisciplinary collaboration and furthering discussions in the field of materials science.

CU Boulder senior Luke Coffman has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Astronaut Scholarship, recognizing his exceptional achievements and potential in the field of STEM. Double-majoring in physics and math with a minor in quantum engineering, Coffman’s research looks at quantum information theory, focusing particularly on quantum entanglement.

Dr. Matthew Norcia, a member of JILA’s extensive alumni network, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) Early Career Scientist Prize in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics. The IUPAP Early Career Scientist Prize honors early career physicists for their exceptional contributions within specific subfields, offering recognition through a certificate, medal, and monetary award.

JILA graduate student Tatsuya Akiba, a Ph.D. candidate in the Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences department at the University of Colorado Boulder, has received the prestigious 2024 Richard Nelson Thomas Award. This honor is bestowed annually to an outstanding APS graduate student at JILA and recognizes excellence in research and academic achievements.