Brendan Banfield
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
3:10 pm in Olin 141
Physical Reservoir Computing
Physical reservoir computing is an emerging field at the border of physics and computer science. The properties of certain dynamical systems, called reservoirs, can be leveraged to transform data into a higher dimensional phase space, allowing for basic data processing tools to recognize features in the data they would otherwise be unable to. Physical reservoir computing has the potential to greatly lower energy cost, increase computational power, improve response times to stimuli, or function in environments normal computers cannot, depending on the reservoir used. This talk will explore the characteristics of effective reservoirs, walk through implementing a simple reservoir computing scheme, and discuss the real-world benefits and drawbacks.
Isaac Van Orman
Friday, February 7, 2025
8:30 am in Olin 141
Cooling and Trapping Atoms: The Path to Ultracold Quantum Systems
The ability to cool and trap atoms at microkelvin and nanokelvin temperatures, made possible by advances in laser cooling and trapping techniques in the late 20th century, has transformed the study of quantum mechanics. Ultracold atomic gases and optical lattices provide highly controllable systems for exploring quantum many-body physics, simulating complex materials, and testing fundamental physical principles. This talk will build up the fundamental physics behind ultracold atom generation, exploring the basis of light-matter interactions, covering laser and evaporative cooling techniques as well as optical trapping methods. Finally, we will discuss the broader implications of ultracold atoms, including their role in quantum simulation, precision measurement, and the study of exotic quantum phases.
Midterm break
Monday, February 10, 2025