UW QuantumX

Ben Lev, Stanford University
2026-02-09 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | PAA A-102
PAA A-102Colloquiahttps://phys.washington.edu/events/2026-02-09/tba

MSE Seminar: Xiaoyang Zhu
2026-02-09 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day event
Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)
Campus room: 154
Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.edu
Event Types: Lectures/Seminars
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
Bio: TBD

William Kretschmer (University of Texas at Austin), QISE Seminar: Demonstrating an unconditional separation between quantum and classical information resources
2026-02-06 13:30 - 14:30 | Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Room 037, 185 W Stevens Wy NE, Seattke, Washington, 98185
Abstract:

A longstanding question in the foundations of quantum mechanics is whether the exponential state space of a quantum system is a physically accessible resource, or whether the observed behavior of quantum devices admits a succinct classical explanation. In this talk I will discuss an experimental work in which, leveraging quantum-classical separations in communication complexity, we performed a task using 12 trapped-ion qubits that would provably require at least 62 bits of storage to replicate using classical information resources. Consequently, no classical ontological model of fewer than 62 bits can explain the observed behavior of the 12-qubit system. Our separation does not rely on any unproven conjectures, and demonstrates how today’s quantum processors can generate and manipulate entangled states of sufficient complexity to access the exponentiality of Hilbert space. Based on arXiv:2509.07255.

Speaker Bio:

William Kretschmer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at UT Austin. Previously, was a Quantum Postdoctoral Fellow at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. His research lies broadly in quantum information and computation, with connections to complexity theory, cryptography, and learning. Kretschmer is especially interested in understanding computational problems that involve operation on quantum inputs.

Joyce Kwan (CU Boulder): Realization of a Pfaffian quantum Hall state with ultracold bosons nbsp
2026-02-05 12:30 - 13:30 | PAB C520
Speaker: Joyce Kwan, CU BoulderThe Pfaffian (Moore-Read) wavefunction, proposed to describe the u = 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state, encodes a paired p-wave superfluid and hosts non-Abelian anyons relevant for topological quantum computation. We report the realization of a three-particle Pfaffian quantum Hall state of ultracold bosons. Using the single-atom control of our quantum simulator, we engineer and probe the state via a machine-learning–optimized ramp that connects a simple initial state to the Pfaffian. The resulting low-temperature state reveals the characteristic pairing physics of the Pfaffian wavefunction, establishing a controlled route toward synthetic fractional quantum Hall states in atomic platforms.

Sasha Giem (Harvard University): A Fault-Tolerant Neutral-Atom Architecture for Universal Quantum Computation
2026-02-03 13:30 - 14:30 | PAB C421, 3910 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
Hybrid option available, register on event website

Quantum error correction enables coherent computation on encoded logical qubits while simultaneously removing errors from the underlying physical qubits. Here we utilize reconfigurable arrays of up to 448 neutral atoms to experimentally explore the key elements of a fault-tolerant quantum processing architecture, including below-threshold correction, fault-tolerant gate operations, universality, and physical error removal during deep-circuit computation. We first demonstrate performance of 2.14(13)x below-threshold in a four-round characterization circuit on individual surface codes, leveraging loss detection and machine learning decoding. We further explore the physics of repeated error correction in logical entanglement based on transversal gates and lattice surgery and extend to universal logic using transversal teleportation with 3D color codes for analog-angle synthesis. Finally, we demonstrate a method for mid-circuit qubit re-use, increasing the experimental cycle rate by two orders of magnitude and implementing deep-circuit protocols involving hundreds of logical teleportations while maintaining constant internal entropy. These results establish foundations for scalable, universal error-corrected processing and its practical implementation with neutral atom systems

MSE Seminar: François Baneyx
2026-02-02 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)Campus room: 154Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/Seminars
Title: TBD
Abstract: TBD
Bio: TBD

Tristan Shi (University of Washington), QISE Seminar: Ultrafast control of quantum materials with terahertz-frequency light
2026-01-30 13:30 - 14:50 | Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Room 037, 185 W Stevens Wy NE, Seattke, Washington, 98185
Abstract

A considerable portion of quantum mechanics’ potency is obscured in thermal equilibrium. Diverse realms rely on creating quantum phases far from equilibrium, such as quantized particles and many-body systems with applications in quantum information processing and storage. Ultrafast terahertz-frequency (THz) laser pulses offer an enticing capability to achieve nonequilibrium phases dictated by collective quantum effects as their timescales are commensurate with nanoscopic dynamics of electrons, spins, lattice ions, etc. In this talk, I will first show that THz-frequency pulses can control the universal photoluminescence blinking in single quantum dots, which remains an ongoing challenge despite decades of research. Then, I will present a nonresonant excitation approach for selective phase controls, exemplified by ferroelectric reversal in LiNbO3 and polymorphic transition in SnSe intertwined with nontrivial band topology. Finally, I will illustrate how the fundamental comprehension of THz-matter interaction can be leveraged to design a nanophotonic device for polarization-sensitive THz imaging.

Tristan Shi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry. His lab develops ultrafast terahertz-to-mid-infrared laser technologies to characterize, control, and create non-equilibrium phases with emergent quantum properties on demand. By exploiting strong light–matter interactions at terahertz frequencies in two-dimensional correlated electron systems and quantum emitters, his group explores new routes toward high-speed, robust quantum information storage, processing, and communication.

MSE Seminar: Kyunjoo Noh
2026-01-26 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)

Yaodong Li (Stanford University), QISE Seminar: Quantum codes in and out of equilibrium
2026-01-23 13:30 - 14:30 | Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Room 037, 185 W Stevens Wy NE, Seattke, Washington, 98185
Abstract

Quantum error-correcting (QEC) codes hold great technological potential. Furthermore, their study has provided fruitful inspiration for many-body physics. Here, we present two recent examples illustrating this connection. First, we propose a general relation between the threshold of quantum codes under local error channels and the equilibrium stability of the corresponding code Hamiltonian under local perturbations. We show that the success probability of the code can be used to upper bound the ground state splitting and lower bound the energy gap to local excitations. These results are particularly relevant for higher-dimensional spaces or general graphs, where such stability guarantees were previously unknown.Second, we consider a setting more relevant to experimental quantum computing, involving error correction operations performed at a speed R. Unlike their zero-speed counterparts, error correction in this regime is described by a kinetic equation with a rate suppressed by exp(1/R), from which universal dynamic exponents can be extracted. We also identify a scaling function that describes the crossover between the kinetic behavior at R>0 and the equilibrium statistical mechanical model as R -> 0.

Bio

Yaodong Li will join UW in Fall 2026 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research interests lie at the intersection of quantum information and many-body physics. He has explored novel collective dynamics of non-equilibrium quantum systems, and seeks to advance the development of robust quantum information processors.

UW ECE Special Research Lecture: Francois Rivet, University of Bordeaux, France
2026-01-21 16:00 - 17:00
Event interval: Single day eventCampus room: EEB 269Accessibility Contact: events@ece.uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsEvent sponsors: IEEE Solid-State Circuit Society, Seattle Chapter
Let's Connect Intelligences
AbstractWho remembers a world without cell phones, the Internet, and ChatGPT? Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) have enabled democratizing communications with ever-greater data exchanges. At the IMS laboratory, we invent the technology and systems that allow us to increase the communication potential from one generation to the next tenfold: goodbye 4G and soon 5G, we are making 6G with the following generation in our sights. What more can we connect and how? Get ready for the revolution where human and artificial intelligences will communicate in tomorrow'snetworks with integrated circuits we will invent now.
BioFrancois Rivet received his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in 2005 and 2009 from the University of Bordeaux, France. Since June 2010, he has been tenured as an Associate Professor at the Bordeaux Institute of Technology (Bordeaux INP). His research is focused on the design of RFICs in the IMS Laboratory, the University of Bordeaux microelectronics laboratory. In 2014, he founded the "Circuits and Systems" research team. Rivet has publications in top-ranked journals, international and national conferences, and holds 20 patents. He is involved in several Steering and Technical Program Committees of flagship conferences. He was General Chair of the IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC) in 2025 in San Francisco, USA. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society since 2024.

Seminar with scholars from Seoul National University
2026-01-20 15:00 - 16:00 | Bill & Melinda Gates Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE2)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bill & Melinda Gates Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE2)Campus room: 371Accessibility Contact: aafrontdesk@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/Seminars
We have two great speakers, both PhD candidates in mechanical engineering from Seoul National University!
1. Youngkwon “YK” KimModular Reconfigurability for Auxiliary Attitude Control
AbstractThe evolution of spaceborne structures is increasingly driven by modular design principles that enable adaptable, scalable, and multifunctional operational capabilities. From deployable arrays to robotic servicing platforms, such modularity is redefining how spacecraft adapt to evolving mission requirements. In this work, we investigate how structural metamorphism within multifunctional modular assemblies can be exploited as an auxiliary attitude-control mechanism for spacecraft. We consider a reconfigurable modular chain–spacecraft assembly in which the modular units can fold, deploy, and reorient relative to one another, thereby altering the overall configuration and tuning the spacecraft’s inertia properties through internal momentum exchange.
To evaluate the resulting attitude-control capability, we develop a three-dimensional multibody dynamics simulation framework that models reconfigurable modular assemblies attached to a base spacecraft hub under free-floating conditions. Numerical results show that appropriately designed reconfiguration sequences of the modular units can generate desired counter-translations and rotations of the base hub. We demonstrate that the achievable attitude-control maneuvers are strongly influenced by both the sequence and the combination of modular reconfigurations. Moreover, navigating alternate morphing paths to the same final configuration yields distinct inertia-evolution trajectories, each imparting a unique influence on the spacecraft orientation. We further investigate the influence of inter-module connectivity on the attainable attitude-control range, highlighting the potential of reconfigurable modular structures to serve as an auxiliary attitude-control system and to support extended operational lifetimes for advanced space missions.
Bio :Youngkwon “YK” Kim is a second-year Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University, working with Prof. Jinkyu Yang (formerly in the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at the University of Washington, 8/2013–9/2022). His research focuses on shape-morphing and transformative structures for space systems and wearable devices. Parts of this work will also be presented at the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) SciTech 2026 Forum. YK is passionate about sharing knowledge and supporting students’ growth: he has written a book on effective learning in university (“How Can We Study Effectively in the University System? – Key Factor: Proactive Questions”) and serves as the head of the department’s largest community (about 640 students) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Inha University. He also actively collaborates with international research groups at the University of Washington (USA), BITS Pilani (India), and KAIST (Korea).
2. Myeonggyun JooExpandability of Simple Linkage: Localization and Topology
Abstract: In this talk, I will introduce an asymmetric linkage system that is structurally simple yet exhibits remarkably unique behavior. Inspired by natural mechanisms, this system consists of two slanted bars connected by a rail and a torsional spring. Depending on where the torsional spring is placed—at the top hinge or the bottom hinge—the system can be modeled in two distinct ways.Modeling 1 places the torsional spring at the top hinge and is more straightforward to analyze. Using mathematical techniques, the system matrix can be simplified, enabling eigen analysis that reveals the presence of edge modes. By tuning geometric parameters, this model demonstrates an extremely localized phenomenon known as the Singular Edge Mode, in which only the first unit cell oscillates.Modeling 2 places the torsional spring at the bottom hinge and exhibits a more robust form of edge localization. Due to the system’s inherent asymmetry, this configuration has nontrivial topological characteristics. Regardless of where the system is excited, the edge cell consistently shows accumulated localized behavior, serving as evidence of a Topological Edge Mode.Because of its simplicity, tunability, and the richness of its edge phenomena, this asymmetric linkage system offers strong potential for applications in various mechanical and metamaterial design contexts.
Bio :Myeonggyun Joo is a second-year Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University, working under the supervision of Prof. Jinkyu Yang (formerly in the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at the University of Washington, 2013–2022). His research focuses on wave dynamics, topological mechanical metamaterials, and the design and fabrication of architected structures. Portions of this work were presented at the PHONONICS 2025 conference. Publications on this topic are currently in preparation in collaboration with international research groups at IIS (India) and CNRS (France). He aims to uncover new physical mechanisms in mechanical systems that enable programmable dynamics and multifunctional responses. He is also deeply interested in cross-disciplinary collaborations that bridge metamaterials with fields such as robotics and aerospace engineering.

Emma Schmidgall (Microsoft Quantum), QISE Seminar: Practical Challenges of Scaling Quantum Information Technologies
2026-01-16 13:30 - 14:30 | Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Room 037, 185 W Stevens Wy NE, Seattke, Washington, 98185
Abstract

Quantum technologies are leaving the laboratory! Many companies are working on moving from single- and few-qubit systems to scaled-up deployments integrated with existing cloud infrastructures. But what does this mean, really? What are the engineering challenges presented by such a transition? In this talk, we’ll discuss some of the non-qubit practical challenges of scaling up quantum information and the opportunities available for scientists and engineers as we bring these systems to scale.

Bio

Emma Schmidgall is a senior hardware engineer for Microsoft Quantum, where she’s worked since 2020 on several aspects of a scalable quantum computer from cryogenics to interconnects and custom silicon. Prior to Microsoft, she worked at Lumotive on beam steering technologies for LIDAR. She was an Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Fellow and Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow with Professor Kai-Mei Fu at the University of Washington. Her PhD in physics is from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.

Thouless Institute 2026 Winter Workshop
2026-01-15 09:00 - 2026-01-17 17:00

Chemistry Seminar: Andres Montoya-Castillo
2026-01-14 11:30 - 12:30 | Chemistry Building (CHB)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Chemistry Building (CHB)Campus room: CHB 102Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsLink: https://www.colorado.edu/chemistry/andres-montoya-castillo
"Deciphering & controlling the mechanisms of energy, charge, & information flow in molecules & nanomaterials."Assistant Professor Andrés Montoya-Castillo – Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado BoulderHosts: Anne McCoy and Xiaosong Li
Spectroscopy has the potential to reveal the structure and dynamics of complex materials, ranging from chromophores in solution to molecular aggregates, nanomaterials, and even quantum sensors. Yet, disentangling spectral signals and extracting an intuitive picture of how excitations form, move, and transform is one of the deepest and most persistent challenges of physical chemistry. In this talk, I will offer two vignettes on our work developing and applying approaches to predict and understand light-matter interactions can reveal the mechanisms of energy flow that set the stage for controlled energy harvesting and quantum sensing. In the molecular world, I will show how our recent advances in condensed phase spectroscopy enable us to decipher a long-standing puzzle in porphyrin photophysics: why and how do the Q bands involved in energy transfer in photosynthesis and artificial energy conversion split? In the world of quantum information, I will show how we can build intelligent algorithms that enable us to extract signals from quantum noise—signals that reveal structure and dynamics in the quantum world and which promise an exciting future for quantum sensing technology. Andres Montoya-Castillo obtained his BA in chemistry and literature with a minor in physics. He obtained his PhD in Chemical Physics from Columbia University, working with Prof. David Reichman, and then did his postdoc at Stanford University in the group of Prof. Thomas Markland. He started his independent career at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021.  Andres's research centers on developing and applying methods to capture the dynamics of charge and energy transfer in complex condensed phase environments and conformational changes underlying protein folding in biophysical systems. He and his group have made contributions in fields ranging from biophysics to energy conversion and quantum information. Andres received the DOE Early Career Award in 2023, the Marinus Smith mentoring award and a Packard Fellowship in 2024, was selected as a Faculty Fellow by the Research & Innovation office at the University of Colorado Boulder, a Kavli Fellow, and a Scialog Fellow in Quantum Matter & Information, and received the NSF CAREER in 2025.

Chemistry Seminar: John Anderson
2026-01-13 15:30 - 16:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)Campus room: BAG 260Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsLink: https://andersonlab.uchicago.edu/"TBD"Professor John Anderson – Department of Chemistry, University of ChicagoHost: Doug Reed

MSE Seminar: Avik Som
2026-01-12 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)Campus room: 154Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/Seminars
Title: Image guided biomaterials: Delivering the cure
Abstract: Locoregional delivery of cancer therapies can dramatically increase the chance of success. However, biologics require an ability to be “seen” by CT for accurate delivery and retention. Our group has been building these tools for the delivery to each anatomic compartment, starting with liver and going to bone.
Bio: Dr. Avik Som, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Radiology (Division of Interventional Radiology), and Material Science Engineering. He completed his B.Sc in Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University and then completed a combination MD/PhD training at Washington University in St. Louis. After medical school, Dr. Som completed an integrated residency in interventional and diagnostic radiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. While there he did simultaneous post-doctoral training with Robert Langer and C. Giovanni Traverso at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with work focused on creating image guided drug delivery for novel cancer immunotherapy, work translated commercially to Absco Therapeutics. At SAIL, Dr. Som leads the translation of novel material science advances for applications in interventional radiology based on his clinical practice, with a focus on novel cancer therapeutics, tissue engineering, and device development. The goal of the lab is to generate new technologies inspired by the clinic and brought back to treat our patients.

Kai-Mei Fu (University of Washington), QISE Seminar: Point Defects in Crystals: Trapped Atoms for Quantum Technologies
2026-01-09 13:30 - 14:50 | Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Room 037, 185 W Stevens Wy NE, Seattke, Washington, 98185
AbstractPoint defects in crystals are the solid-state analog to trapped ions. Thus these “quantumdefects”, which can be integrated into solid-state devices, have gained interest as quantumsensors and qubit candidates for scalable quantum networks. In this talk, I will introducesome of the basic quantum defect properties desirable for quantum technologies. I willthen focus on my own group’s work advancing hybrid defect-photonics platforms forquantum network applications.

BioKai-Mei Fu is the Virginia and Prentice Bloedel Professor of Physics and Electrical andComputer Engineering at the University of Washington and holds a dual appointment withthe Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Kai-Mei received their PhD in Applied Physics in2007 from Stanford University. Their research focuses on the synthesis, characterizationand control of optically active quantum defects in crystals, with applications in quantumnetworks and sensing. At UW, Kai-Mei is the Director of UW’s NSF National ResearchTraining Program: Accelerating Quantum-Enabled Technologies. They serve as the DeputyDirector of the Department of Energy National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Co-design Centerfor Quantum Advantage

CSE Distinguished Lecture Series: Scott Aaronson
2026-01-08 15:30 - 16:30 | Gates Center (CSE2), G20 | Amazon Auditorium
Event interval: Single day eventCampus room: Gates Center (CSE2), G20 | Amazon AuditoriumAccessibility Contact: dso@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/SeminarsEvent sponsors: Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineeringwww.cs.washington.eduLink: https://www.cs.washington.edu/events/colloquia/details?id=3379
AbstractAbstract is forthcoming.
Bio
I’m the Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin, and director of its Quantum Information Center. My research interests center around the capabilities and limits of quantum computers, and computational complexity theory more generally. For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, I was on leave to work at OpenAI on the theoretical foundations of AI safety.
This lecture will be streamed live and recorded.

UW ECE Research Colloquium Series: Milad Koohi, Texas A&M University
2026-01-08 10:30 - 11:30
Event interval: Single day eventCampus room: ECE 037Accessibility Contact: events@ece.uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsLink: https://www.ece.uw.edu/colloquia/milad-koohi/
Towards Agile Radios for NextG Wireless Communications and Sensing
AbstractAs the demand for higher data capacity persists and wireless technologies advance, current front-end circuitry in communication systems requires transformative changes. Multifunctional materials, such as ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics, are increasingly vital in providing critical solutions for communication, computation, and sensing. Integrating such materials into the development of reconfigurable components promises reduced complexity, smaller size, and high performance for future radios, enabling them to transcend beyond 5th generation (5G) wireless technologies.
In this talk, Dr. Koohi will present his research focusing on ferroelectric-based radio frequency (RF) acoustic wave (AW) devices that facilitate efficient spectrum access for future wireless systems. First, he will describe how the electrostriction phenomenon in thin-film paraelectric barium strontium titanate (Ba(1-x)SrxTiO3) is utilized to develop a framework for building intrinsically reconfigurable AW filter modules. This technology increases the functional density of RF front-ends by combining switching and filtering functionalities onto a single device, remarkably reducing the size and complexity of future radios. Next, he will introduce inhomogeneous piezoelectricity as a new paradigm to overcome the fundamental frequency and bandwidth limitations of traditional piezoelectric RF AW technologies. Dr. Koohi will present the first realization of inhomogeneous piezoelectricity in multilayer ferroelectric heterostructures, providing a fundamentally new approach to synthesize next-generation RF AW devices that are programmable and have the capability to selectively operate across multiple frequency bands. The second part of the talk will explore the ferroelectricity in scandium-doped aluminum nitride (Al(1-x)ScxN) to enable mm-Wave acoustics. He will demonstrate how polarization switching in ferroelectric AlScN allows the realization of mm-Wave acoustic devices with record electromechanical coupling and quality factor values required for the demployment of future 5G+ and 6G radios.
Bio Prof. Milad Koohi received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2020. Following his doctoral studies, he joined Qorvo Inc. as an R&D Technical Lead at the BAW Research Center in FL, where he led the integration of ferroelectric nitrides into acoustic wave devices for microwave and mm-wave frequencies. In January 2025, he transitioned to academia, joining the Department of Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University. Prof. Koohi’s research focuses on understanding multiphysical domain interactions, particularly in the electromagnetic, acoustic, and optical domains, within emerging material systems and integrating them into innovative devices, microsystems, and integrated circuits, advancing the frontiers of communication, computation, and sensing technologies. He has received several awards, including the Qorvo Best New Technology Award and the IEEE MTT-S Graduate Fellowship. Dr. Koohi has authored or coauthored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and patents on ferroelectric nitrides, complex oxides, and their incorporation into novel devices and integrated circuits.

Chemistry Seminar: Fang Liu
2026-01-07 11:30 - 12:30 | Chemistry Building (CHB)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Chemistry Building (CHB)Campus room: CHB 102Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsLink: https://flgroup.emorychem.science/
"Synergizing GPU-Accelerated Quantum Chemistry and Machine Learning for Molecular Discoveries in the Condensed Phase"Assistant Professor Fang Liu – Department of Chemistry, Emory UniversityHost: Xiaosong Li
Machine learning (ML) and big data play increasingly critical roles in chemical discovery. However, datasets (both computational and experimental) and ML models for condensed-phase molecular systems, such as solvated molecules and molecule assemblies, remain scarce. My research group leverages GPU-accelerated quantum chemistry and machine learning to address these gaps.
Many crucial solvent-solute interactions, like hydrogen bonds, cannot be captured by the implicit solvent models routinely used in quantum chemistry calculation, and require explicit solvent treatment. To streamline the simulation workflow for arbitrary organic and organometallic solute molecules in explicit solvent molecules, we developed AutoSolvate, an open-source toolkit. To further enhance accessibility, we launched AutoSolvateWeb, a chatbot-assisted, cloud-based platform that automates simulation setup and execution using cloud resources. These tools have enabled the efficient generation of diverse computational datasets for solvated molecules. Leveraging these datasets, we trained Δ-ML models to enhance the accuracy of low-cost computational methods against experimental measurements.
For molecular assemblies, we addressed computational challenges in predicting excited-state properties. We developed a size-transferable machine-learned exciton model that significantly reduces computational costs by tens of thousands of folds without sacrificing accuracy. Additionally, we aim to bridge the gap between simulated and experimental datasets by leveraging large volumes of computational data to train ML models for real-time analysis in autonomous experiments. As a proof of concept, we successfully trained an ML model to detect material phase transitions in situ using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES).

Chemistry Seminar: Chenjie Zeng
2026-01-06 15:30 - 16:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)Campus room: BAG 260Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/SeminarsLink: https://zeng.chem.ufl.edu/
"Precision Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanoclusters: Connecting Coordination, Cluster, and Colloidal Chemistry"Assistant Professor Chenjie Zeng – Department of Chemistry, University of FloridaHost: Brandi Cossairt
Semiconductor nanomaterials have broad applications in energy, information, and biomedical nanotechnologies. Achieving atomic-level control in semiconductor nanomaterials is crucial for their reproducible synthesis, consistent properties, and precision engineering. However, this has been a significant challenge due to the structural complexity of nanomaterials and their entangled reaction kinetics. Here, I will show our recent progress in combining coordination, cluster, and colloidal chemistry to achieve atomic precision in semiconductor nanoclusters. The development of precise nanoscale reactions has enabled us to answer some important questions, including (i) how different ligands collaboratively passivate the nanocrystal surfaces, (ii) the origin of chirality and polarity in semiconductor nanostructures, (iii) the precise correlation between the excitonic transitions and electronic structures, and (iv) the atomic-level insights into the intricate reaction mechanisms. We expect that precision nano-synthesis will enable designer semiconductor nanocrystals with atomically tailored properties for their optical, electronic, and spin-based applications.

MSE Seminar: Johannas Pollanen
2026-01-05 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Superconducting qubits, and the experimental architecture of circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED), have emerged as not only a promising platform for quantum computation but also for investigating fundamental and applied aspects of synthetic/hybrid quantum systems composed of qubits coupled to other quantum systems or degrees of freedom. In particular, the ability to leverage the properties of superconducting qubits to investigate and manipulate phononic degrees of freedom opens the door to exploring new regimes of circuit quantum optics using high-frequency sound. Due to the intrinsically strong nonlinearity provided by the qubit, these types of hybrid “quantum acoustic” systems have the potential to access a broad class of quantum states of motion beyond what is achievable with effectively linear optomechanical or electromechanical interactions.

In this talk I will describe some of our recent experimental results investigating the fundamental physics of hybrid systems based on superconducting qubits coupled to piezoelectric surface and bulk acoustic wave devices and how these systems can be used to develop next-generation technologies for quantum sensing, computation, and communication. As I will describe, these engineered systems, in which quantum information stored in the qubit can be controllably coupled to the microscopic surface and bulk phonon modes of a piezoelectric crystal, are an ideal platform for investigating the exotic behavior of synthetic open quantum systems and phononic interference in the quantum regime. Additionally, I will describe how these devices pave the way to exciting new technologies ranging from quantum-limited surface sensing to phonon-based bosonic quantum memories.

MSE Seminar: Johannas Pollanen
2026-01-05 14:30 - 15:30 | Bagley Hall (BAG)
Event interval: Single day eventCampus location: Bagley Hall (BAG)Campus room: 154Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/Seminars
Title: Hybrid quantum phononics with superconducting qubits
Abstract: Superconducting qubits, and the experimental architecture of circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED), have emerged as not only a promising platform for quantum computation but also for investigating fundamental and applied aspects of synthetic/hybrid quantum systems composed of qubits coupled to other quantum systems or degrees of freedom. In particular, the ability to leverage the properties of superconducting qubits to investigate and manipulate phononic degrees of freedom opens the door to exploring new regimes of circuit quantum optics using high-frequency sound. Due to the intrinsically strong nonlinearity provided by the qubit, these types of hybrid “quantum acoustic” systems have the potential to access a broad class of quantum states of motion beyond what is achievable with effectively linear optomechanical or electromechanical interactions.
In this talk I will describe some of our recent experimental results investigating the fundamental physics of hybrid systems based on superconducting qubits coupled to piezoelectric surface and bulk acoustic wave devices and how these systems can be used to develop next-generation technologies for quantum sensing, computation, and communication. As I will describe, these engineered systems, in which quantum information stored in the qubit can be controllably coupled to the microscopic surface and bulk phonon modes of a piezoelectric crystal, are an ideal platform for investigating the exotic behavior of synthetic open quantum systems and phononic interference in the quantum regime. Additionally, I will describe how these devices pave the way to exciting new technologies ranging from quantum-limited surface sensing to phonon-based bosonic quantum memories.
Bio: Prof. Pollanen leads the Laboratory for Hybrid Quantum Systems (LHQS) at Michigan State University (MSU) where his research group investigates the fundamental physics and quantum information applications of systems comprised of trapped electrons, superconducting qubits, color-center defects in diamond, and two-dimensional layered materials. Prof. Pollanen holds the Cowen Distinguished Chair in Experimental Physics and also serves as the Associate Director of the MSU Center for Quantum Computing Science and Engineering (MSU-Q) and is a co-founder and board member of the Midwest Quantum Collaboratory (MQC). Additionally he is a co-founder and Chief Science Officer (CSO) of EeroQ Corporation, which is a quantum computing startup company located in Chicago working on building a scalable quantum processor based on the spins of electrons trapped above the surface of superfluid helium. Before joining the faculty at MSU, Pollanen was a IQIM Postdoctoral Scholar at the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM) at Caltech. Pollanen received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Tomohiro Otsuka (Tohoku University, Japan): New Materials and Techniques for Semiconductor Quantum Technologies
2025-12-19 16:00 - 17:00 | PAB B421
Speaker: Prof Tomohiro Otsuka (Tohoku University, Japan)

Title: “New Materials and Techniques for Semiconductor Quantum Technologies.”

UW ECE Research Colloquium Series: Talia Moore
2025-12-02 14:30 - 15:30
Event interval: Single day eventCampus room: ECE 037Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.eduEvent Types: Academics,Lectures/Seminars

Separating QMA and QCMA with a classical oracle, Chinmay Nirkhe
2025-12-02 13:30 - 15:00
Abstract:

We construct a classical oracle proving that, in a relativized setting, the set of languages decidable by an efficient quantum verifier with a quantum witness (QMA) is strictly bigger than those decidable with access only to a classical witness (QCMA). The separating classical oracle we construct is for a decision problem we coin spectral Forrelation — the oracle describes two subsets of the boolean hypercube, and the computational task is to decide if there exists a quantum state whose standard basis measurement distribution is well supported on one subset while its Fourier basis measurement distribution is well supported on the other subset. This is equivalent to estimating the spectral norm of a “Forrelation” matrix between two sets that are accessible through membership queries.

Our lower bound derives from a simple observation that a query algorithm with a classical witness can be run multiple times to generate many samples from a distribution, while a quantum witness is a “use once” object. This observation allows us to reduce proving a QCMA lower bound to proving a sampling hardness result, which does not simultaneously prove a QMA lower bound. To prove said sampling hardness result for QCMA, we observe that quantum access to the oracle can be compressed by expressing the problem in terms of bosons — a novel “second quantization” perspective on compressed oracle techniques, which may be of independent interest. Using this compressed perspective on the sampling problem, we prove the sampling hardness result, completing the proof.

Joint work with John Bostanci, Jonas Haferkamp, and Mark Zhandry: https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.09551

Caged Superconductivity Flat Bands and 2D Topological Matter, Charles Marcus
2025-12-02 13:30 | PAT C-421
Caged Superconductivity Flat Bands and 2D Topological Matter
PAT C-421
Seminars
https://phys.washington.edu/events/2025-12-02/caged-superconductivity-flat-bands-and-2d-topological-matter

High rank multipole order feeling the strain, Ian Fisher
2025-12-01 16:00 | Physics/Astronomy Auditorium – PAA A-102, 3910 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Speaker: Ian Fisher, Stanford University
Interactions can lead to a wide variety of ordered states in materials. Phase transitions in which local atomic states develop spontaneous high rank multipole order provides a particularly rich arena for new insights. A key element in the study of such systems is the ability to couple to the associated order parameter. At its heart, this colloquium will be about symmetry and thermodynamics.I will describe how one can couple to a variety of different multipolar states, motivating new methodologies to measure a fundamental thermodynamic material property, the multipole susceptibility. One can also identify effective transverse fields, which, when applied inside the ordered state, induce quantum fluctuations and can drive a multipolar quantum phase transition. I will explain the very special roles that strain can play for each of the cases, and will outline new experimental approaches in which the materials ‘feel the strain’ in different ways.Even while we manipulate the crystal lattice to tune electronic order, hyperfine interactions are not always completely innocent. Along the way I will introduce the special case of an electro-nuclear quantum phase transition.And finally, the confluence of new measurement techniques and new materials also leads to possibilities for new applications; I will briefly outline one such application, based on a giant elastocaloric effect. Multipolar order, it would seem, is not only interesting from a fundamental perspective, but can also be useful. Video Link (requires UW NetID)

Framework for Quantum Simulations of Energy Loss in Non Abelian Gauge Theories SU 2 Lattice Gauge Theory in 1+1D, Zhiyao Li
2025-11-25 13:30 | PAT C-421
Framework for Quantum Simulations of Energy Loss in Non Abelian Gauge Theories SU 2 Lattice Gauge Theory in 1 1DPAT C-421Seminarshttps://phys.washington.edu/events/2025-11-25/framework-quantum-simulations-energy-loss-non-abelian-gauge-theories-su-2-lattice

MSE Seminar: Peter Sushko
2025-11-24 14:30 - 15:20 | Interdisciplinary Engineering Building – IEB G106, 4000 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
Event interval: Single day eventCampus room: IEB G106Accessibility Contact: Matthew Yankowitz, myank@uw.eduEvent Types: Lectures/Seminars
Title: Understanding and Controlling Interfacial Constraints for Predictive Materials Synthesis
Abstract: Advancements in materials for energy functions and novel computing devices rely on mastering synthesis processes to achieve precise control over material structures and properties. In this seminar, I will examine the pivotal role of interfacial constraints in determining the structure and functionality of materials, emphasizing the need for a detailed understanding of their atomic- scale origins—from interactions and strain to structural inhomogeneity and compositional Variability.
I will present case studies illustrating this need. First, I will discuss how interfacial bonding and strain can control the crystallographic orientations of PdO, Pd, and Ta—materials vital for catalysis and superconducting qubits. I will also explore the role of subsurface interactions by showcasing how interstitial Te atoms in WTe 2 promote monodispersed Pd cluster formation and how subsurface H atoms influence the catalytic properties of Pd nanostructures. Finally, I will highlight the role of internal interfaces, such as grain boundaries, in facilitating these processes. These examples underscore the importance of understanding atomic-scale deviations in crystallographic and compositional order, controlling these deviations, and leveraging them to guide the synthesis and transformation of functional materials.
Bio: Dr. Peter Sushko is a computational materials scientist in the Physical Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He earned his BSc and MSc degrees in physics from St. Petersburg State University, Russia. He then completed his PhD in physics at University College London (UCL), UK, where he developed an embedded cluster approach to simulate the electronic properties of point defects in ionic materials. In 2008, Dr. Sushko was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and joined the UCL Department of Physics and Astronomy as a Lecturer, subsequently becoming a Reader. In 2014, he joined PNNL as the leader of the Materials Sciences group in the Physical Sciences Division. In 2021, he became the coordinator for the DOE Office of Sciences Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering sector at PNNL. His research focuses on uncovering atomic-scale mechanisms of defect formation and transport, as well as predicting how disorder and defects influence material properties and functions. He has co-authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers on the physical and chemical properties of nanostructured materials and interfacial phenomena.
