Physics Department Colloquium
Research as a tool to improve the teaching and learning of quantum mechanics
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Abstract: It is well established that people learn better when they are actively engaged with the material they are learning. In this talk, I will focus on active learning methods used in the upper division, and the research that goes into their development. In particular, we will discuss the structure of a tutorial to designed to improve student visual understanding of time dependence in quantum mechanics and the assessment of its effectiveness. We will also discuss whether or not the context of a question can impact student performance.
Topological Superconductivity in Superconductor-Semiconductor Hybrids
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Abstract: Topological superconducting nanowires are characterized by Majorana zero modes, which can form the basis of topological qubits. In this talk, I will present some recent theoretical and experimental progress on these systems.
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Coffee, tea and cookies will be available in G1B31 (across from G1B20) from 3:30 - 3:50 p.m.
Physics Colloquia are held Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. in the JILA Auditorium.
Many-body physics with ultracold gases of atoms and molecules
When
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Abstract: Understanding emergent behaviors in strongly interacting quantum systems is a frontier area of condensed matter physics. However, simulations of quantum many-body systems on classical computers are not scalable beyond a few dozen particles. This motivates the development of quantum simulators, highly controllable analog quantum computers specifically designed to study certain types of problems in condensed matter physics.
Quantum spacetime and quantum information
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Abstract: How quantum mechanics governs space, time and gravity is a longstanding mystery. Inspired by properties of black holes, recent progress has been made relating quantum spacetime to properties of quantum information and quantum computation such as entanglement entropy, computational complexity and quantum error-correcting codes. I will review some of these developments and discuss some of my own work on geometric realizations of measures of entanglement.
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"Schrodinger’s 'What is Life?' at 75: The Physical Aspects of the Living Cell Revisited"
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Abstract: 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of the publication of Erwin Schrodinger's "What is Life?'', a short book hailed by Roger Penrose as "among the most influential scientific writings of the 20th century'’.
CANCELLED
When
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Due to unforeseen events, the Physics Colloquium for October 12, 2022 has been cancelled.
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Coffee, tea and cookies will be available in G1B31 (across from G1B20) from 3:30 - 3:50 p.m.
Physics Colloquia are held Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. in the JILA Auditorium.
Quantum measurements: new, better, easier
When
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Abstract: Quantum measurements are the principal means by which we gain access to and characterize the quantum world. At present the kinds of measurements that are routinely performed in the laboratory are rudimentary and a small subset of the measurements allowed by quantum theory. This talk will describe the past present and future of quantum measurements.
From BEC to CEO
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Abstract: Can a PhD at CU Physics prepare you to start a company? Can a Post-Doc at NIST be the ticket to entrepreneurship? While the subject of research at these institutions may not be directly applicable to industrial problems—in my case, Bose-Einstein Condensation and quantum computing— the skill sets and tools you develop are on the critical path in preparing you to succeed in high-tech industry and even in starting a company.