Tag Archives: quantum

Doctoral Position

Funding is available for a Doctor of Science Studentship with Dr. Matthew Leifer at the Institute for Quantum Studies, Chapman University, California, USA.  It is in Chapman’s unique interdisciplinary Math, Physics, and Philosophy (MPP) program, which emphasizes research that encompasses two or more of the three core disciplines.  This is a 3-year program that focuses on research, and students are expected to have a terminal Masters degree before they start.

This position is part of the Southern California Quantum Foundations Hub, funded by the John Templeton Foundation.  The research project must be in quantum foundations, particularly in one of the three theme areas of the grant:

  1. The Nature of the Quantum State
  2. Past and Future Boundary Conditions
  3. Agency in Quantum Observers. 

The university also provides other scholarships for the MPP program.  Please apply before January 15, 2025, to receive full consideration for the available funding.

Please follow the “Graduate Application” link on the MPP website to apply.

For informal inquiries about the position and research projects, please get in touch with me.

Quantum Mechanics and Nonlocality

A Popular Physics Discussion

Travis Norsen in conversation with Matt Leifer

Wednesday October 21, 5pm PST (California Time)

The Institute for Quantum Studies at Chapman University presents an online discussion between Dr. Travis Norsen (Smith College) and Dr. Matthew Leifer (co-Director of the Institute for Quantum Studies at Chapman) on quantum mechanics and nonlocality.  After studying physics and philosophy as an undergraduate at Harvey Mudd College and then getting a PhD in theoretical nuclear astrophysics at the University of Washington, Travis Norsen returned to his two great passions:  teaching physics to undergraduates and working independently on the foundations of quantum mechanics.  He is currently a lecturer in the physics department  at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.   In addition to authoring the first systematic textbook on quantum foundations, Travis has written extensively on the EPR argument and Bell’s Theorem and has also worked on the de Broglie-Bohm pilot-wave theory.  One idiosyncratic theme of his thinking about foundational questions is a stress on the important role played by what Bell called “local beables” in making candidate theories empirically viable.  In addition to physics and philosophy, Travis (like Einstein) enjoys productive physical activities such as chopping wood; he loves gardening and cooking; and he plays, coaches, and has recently written a book about soccer.  The conversation will be broadcast live on YouTube at There will be an opportunity for audience Q&A after the event.

Quantum Physics and Logic 2019: CALL FOR PAPERS

CALL FOR PAPERS

16th International Conference on
Quantum Physics and Logic
(QPL 2019)

June 10-14, 2019
Chapman University, Orange,
California, USA

https://qpl2019.org

* * *

The 16th International Conference on Quantum Physics and Logic
(QPL 2019) will take place at Chapman University June 10-14, 2019.

The conference brings together researchers working on mathematical
foundations of quantum physics, quantum computing, and related areas,
with a focus on structural perspectives and the use of logical tools,
ordered algebraic and category-theoretic structures, formal languages,
semantical methods, and other computer science techniques applied to
the study of physical behaviour in general. Work that applies
structures and methods inspired by quantum theory to other fields
(including computer science) is also welcome.

IMPORTANT DATES

April 1: abstract submission
April 7: paper submission
April 30: application for student support
May 12: notification of authors
May 17: early registration deadline
May 24: final papers ready
June 10-14: conference

INVITED SPEAKERS

John Baez (UC Riverside)
Anna Pappa (University College London)
Joel Wallman (University of Waterloo)

INVITED TUTORIALS

Ana Belen Sainz (Perimeter Institute)
Quanlong Wang (University of Oxford)

SUBMISSIONS

Prospective speakers are invited to submit one (or more) of the
following:

– Original contributions consist of a 5-12 page extended abstract
that provides sufficient evidence of results of genuine interest
and enough detail to allow the program committee to assess the
merits of the work. Submission of substantial albeit partial
results of work in progress is encouraged.

– Extended abstracts describing work submitted/published elsewhere
will also be considered, provided the work is recent and relevant
to the conference. These consist of a 3 page description and should
include a link to a separate published paper or preprint.

The conference proceedings will be published in Electronic
Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science (EPTCS) after the
conference. Only “original contributions” are eligible to be
published in the proceedings.

Submissions should be prepared using LaTeX, and must be submitted in
PDF format. Use of the EPTCS style is encouraged. Submission is done
via EasyChair:

https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=qpl2019

There will be an award for the best student paper at the discretion
of the programme committee. Papers eligible for the award are those
where all the authors are students at the time of submission.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Bob Coecke (co-chair, University of Oxford)
Matthew Leifer (co-chair, Chapman University)
Miriam Backens (University of Oxford)
Giulio Chiribella (University of Oxford)
Stefano Gogioso (University of Oxford)
John Harding (New Mexico State University)
Chris Heunen (The University of Edinburgh)
Matthew Hoban (University of Oxford)
Dominic Horsman (University of Durham)
Kohei Kishida (Dalhousie University)
Aleks Kissinger (Radboud University)
Joachim Kock (UAB)
Ravi Kunjwal (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics)
Martha Lewis (University of Amsterdam)
Dan Marsden (University of Oxford)
David Moore (Pictet Asset Management)
Michael Moortgat (Utrecht University)
Daniel Oi (University of Strathclyde)
Ognyan Oreshkov (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
Anna Pappa (University College London)
Dusko Pavlovic (University of Hawaii)
Simon Perdrix (CNRS, Laboratoire d’Informatique de Grenoble, University of Grenoble)
Neil Ross (Dalhousie University)
Mehrnoosh Sadrzadeh (Queen Mary University of London)
Ana Belén Sainz (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics)
Peter Selinger (Dalhousie University)
Sonja Smets (University of Amsterdam)
Pawel Sobocinski (University of Southampton)
Robert Spekkens (Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics)
Isar Stubbe (Université du Littoral)
Benoît Valiron (LRI – CentraleSupelec, Univ. Paris Saclay)
Jamie Vicary (University of Oxford)
Alexander Wilce (Susquehanna University)
Mingsheng Ying (University of Technology, Sydney)
Margherita Zorzi (University of Verona)
Magdalena Anna Zych (The University of Queensland)

STEERING COMMITTEE

Bob Coecke (University of Oxford)
Prakash Panangaden (McGill University)
Peter Selinger (Dalhousie University)

LOCAL ORGANIZERS

Lorenzo Catani (Chapman University)
Justin Dressel (Chapman University)
Matthew Leifer (Chapman University)
Drew Moshier (Chapman University)

For further information, please contact qpl2019@easychair.org.

Conference Announcement QPL 2019

The 16th International Conference on Quantum Physics and Logic (QPL 2019)

June 10-14 2019

Chapman University, Orange, California

https://qpl2019.org

The 16th International Conference on Quantum Physics and Logic (QPL 2019) will take place at Chapman University June 10-14, 2019. The conference brings together researchers working on mathematical foundations of quantum physics, quantum computing, and related areas, with a focus on structural perspectives and the use of logical tools, ordered algebraic and category-theoretic structures, formal languages, semantical methods, and other computer science techniques applied to the study of physical behaviour in general. Work that applies structures and methods inspired by quantum theory to other fields (including computer science) is also welcome.

A call for papers and registration details will follow in a few weeks and will also be posted on the conference website at https://qpl2019.org

STEERING COMMITTEE

  • Bob Coecke (University of Oxford)
  • Prakash Panangaden (McGill University)
  • Peter Selinger (Dalhousie University)

LOCAL ORGANIZERS

  • Matthew Leifer (Chapman University)
  • Lorenzo Catani (Chapman University)
  • Justin Dressel (Chapman University)
  • Drew Moshier (Chapman University)

For further information, please contact qpl2019@easychair.org.

AAV Anniversary Conference – Celebrating 30 Years of Weak Values

We cordially invite you to join us for a celebratory conference commemorating the 30th anniversary of the first paper on weak values by Aharonov, Albert and Vaidman. The conference will be held at Chapman University from March 1st – 2nd, immediately to be followed by another Chapman conference on Quantum Simulation and Quantum Walks from March 3rd – 4th, which you are, of course, very welcome to attend.

Please visit our website to register, make hotel reservations, and find instructions for submitting a poster abstract: https://www.chapman.edu/research/institutes-and-centers/quantum-studies/aav.aspx

Also, note that the March Meeting of the American Physical Society takes place the following week (March 5-9) in Los Angeles, CA, which is near Chapman University, providing you with a triple reason to come visit with us in sunny Southern California.

Further details about the aims of the conference follow below.

The concept of a weak value, first formulated by Aharonov, Albert and Vaidman in their 1988 PRL paper “How the result of a measurement of a component of a spin-1/2 particle can turn out to be 100” (PRL 60:1351, 1988) has attracted widespread attention, which has only increased in recent years. It has given rise to a lot of interesting thought experiments, many of which are now being implemented in the lab. The mathematical formalism of weak values has also given rise to the related concept of superoscillations, which have been of great interest to mathematical physicists.

In recent years anomalous weak values have been shown to be related to quantum contextuality, and have attracted increasing attention for their possible application to quantum metrology, known as “weak value amplification”.

This symposium will survey the development of weak values, and explore the current debates about their foundational significance and practical applications.

Conference Organizing Committee:

Jeff Tollaksen
Matthew Leifer
Justin Dressel
Cristian Bourgeois

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Quantum Foundations

General Information

The Institute for Quantum Studies within Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Foundations of Quantum Theory, beginning August 2018.

Chapman University, located in the heart of Orange County, California, is ranked in the top tier of western universities by U.S. News and World Report, and has gained national recognition for its commitment to excellence through innovative research and teaching. Schmid College of Science and Technology embodies Chapman’s commitment to interdisciplinarity, fostering an outstanding community of teacher-scholars across a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs. More information on the College and its future 140,000 square foot home, the Keck Center for Science and Engineering, can be found here: www.chapman.edu/science.

Qualifications

Postdoctoral Fellow must hold a Ph.D. or an equivalent of a doctoral degree by the beginning of employment at Chapman University. The doctorate or equivalent must have been awarded within the last five years and candidate has not exceeded five years of prior postdoctoral experience.

A publication record showing a strong promise for future independent research is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

The postdoc will work in the group of Dr. Matthew Leifer on the project “Fine Tunings and the Nature of Quantum Reality”.

A “fine tuning” refers to a property of the operational predictions of quantum theory that cannot hold at the level of reality. Fine tunings are exposed by the various no-go theorems for realist accounts of quantum theory, such as Bell’s theorem, the Kochen-Specker theorem, and recent results on the reality of the quantum state. The project encompasses: rigorously defining the notion of a fine tuning, characterizing and quantifying fine-tunings in a resource theoretic framework, exploiting fine tunings for information processing advantages, developing ontological frameworks for quantum theory that are free of fine tunings, and explaining fine tunings as emergent.

The postdoc is expected to work with Dr. Leifer on this project, but may also pursue their own independent research.

The postdoc is expected to publish their findings in academic journals and present their work at academic conferences and workshops. The postdoc is also expected to contribute to the research culture of the institute and university. Examples of ways of doing this include: giving seminars, helping to organize conferences and workshops, helping to organize seminars and talks, and discussing research with undergraduate and graduate students who are working on research projects.

Contact Information

Applicants should send electronic copies of their CV, research statement, list of publications, and three references to Dr. Matthew Leifer at leifer@chapman.edu.

Applications should be received before December 7, 2017 in order to receive full consideration, but the position will remain open until filled.

Fellows are offered a competitive salary, benefits, research support, and personalized professional development in research.
Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community. The University is dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruitment and employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. The University is committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply.

Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866 Human Resources Department

Quantum Foundations at the APS March Meeting

The March Meeting of the American Physical Society is taking place March 5-9 2017 in Los Angeles. There will be sessions on Quantum Foundations, Quantum Resource Theories, and Quantum Thermodynamics. You can submit an abstract for a contributed talk at http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/. The deadline is November 3 at 11:59pm EST.

The APS March Meeting is a great opportunity to advertise recent work in quantum foundations to the wider physics community. I hope you will consider contributing a talk so that we can showcase our research in the strongest possible way.

Q+ Hangout: Howard Wiseman

Here are the details of the next Q+ hangout.

Date/time: Wed. 26th Nov. 2014 10pm GMT/UTC

Speaker: Howard Wiseman (Griffith University)

Title: After 50 years, Bell’s Theorem Still Reverberates

Abstract:
Fifty years ago this month, Belfast-born physicist John Bell submitted for publication a paper [1] which has been described as “the most profound discovery in science” [2]. However, its significance is still much disputed by physicists and philosophers [3, 4].
I will explain what is so puzzling about the types of correlations Bell introduced, by a specific example based on [5]. (For those well-versed in Bell inequalities this may still be of pedagogical interest.)
But what exactly do these Bell-type correlations violate? Bell’s original answer [1] was the joint assumptions of determinism and locality. His later answer [6] was the single assumption of local causality (which, confusingly, he sometimes also called locality). Different ‘camps’ of physicists – operationalists and realists respectively – prefer the different versions of Bell’s theorem.

Which of Bell’s notions, locality or local causality, expresses the causal structure of Einstein’s theory of relativity? I will argue for the answer: neither [3,4]. Both notions require an additional causal assumption, and the one required for local causality is a stronger one. I will discuss how the different assumptions fit with the ideologies of the two camps, and how they can best be reconciled.

[1]  J. S. Bell, “On the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox”, Physics 1, 195-200 (1964).
[2]  H. P. Stapp, “Are superluminal connections necessary?”, Nuovo Cim. 40B, 191 (1977).
[3]  H. M. Wiseman, “The two Bell’s theorems of John Bell”, J. Phys. A 47, 424001 (2014) (Invited Review for Special Issue, 50 years of Bell’s theorem)
[4]  H. M. Wiseman, “Bell’s theorem still reverberates”, Nature 510, 467-9 (2014).
[5] P. K. Aravind, “Bell’s theorem without inequalities and only two distant observers”,  Found. Phys. Lett. 15, 397 (2002).
[6]  J. S. Bell, “The Theory of Local Beables”, Epistemological Lett. 9, 11-24 (1976).

To watch the talk live, visit the event page at the appointed hour.

To keep up to date on the latest news about Q+ hangouts, you can follow us on:

or visit our website.

Q+ Hangout: Marco Piani

Here are the details of the next Q+ hangout:

Date: Monday 27th October 2pm GMT/UTC

Spekaer: Marco Piani (University of Strathclyde)

Title: Usefulness of entanglement and steering in the discrimination of physical processes

Abstract: Not all entangled states are created equal: they are all special, but some are more special than others. In particular, this is true in an operational characterization of quantum correlations based on their usefulness in the discrimination of physical processes. We will discuss how every entangled state of a probe-ancilla composite system is useful as a resource for the problem of minimum-error channel discrimination. We will then focus on the subset of entangled states that exhibit steering. The latter is the entanglement-based quantum effect that embodies the “spooky action at a distance” disliked by Einstein and scrutinized by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen. We prove that, for any fixed steerable state, there are instances of a generalization of the channel discrimination problem, which we dub quantum subchannel discrimination, where such a state allows a correct discrimination with strictly higher probability than in absence of entanglement, even when measurements are restricted to local measurements aided by one-way communication. On the other hand, unsteerable states are useless under such a restriction, even when entangled. We also prove that the above steering advantage can be exactly quantified in terms of the steering robustness, which is a natural measure of the steerability exhibited by the state.
This talk is based on joint work with J. Watrous, arXiv:1406.0530.

To watch live, visit the hangout page at the appointed hour.

To keep up to date with the latest news on Q+ hangouts, you can follow us on:

or visit our website.

Q+ Hangout: Daniel Gottesman

Here are the details of the next Q+ hangout. To watch live, visit this link at the appointed hour.

Date/time: Tue. May 20th 2014 2pm BST/UTC+1

Speaker: Daniel Gottesman (Perimeter Institute)

Title: Fault-tolerant quantum computation with constant overhead

Abstract: The threshold theorem for fault tolerance tells us that it is possible to build arbitrarily large reliable quantum computers provided the error rate per physical gate or time step is below some threshold value. Most research on the threshold theorem so far has gone into optimizing the tolerable error rate under various assumptions, with other considerations being secondary. However, for the foreseeable future, the number of qubits may be an even greater restriction than error rates. The overhead, the ratio of physical qubits to logical qubits, determines how expensive (in qubits) a fault-tolerant computation is. Earlier results on fault tolerance used a large overhead which grows even larger (albeit slowly) with the size of the computation. I show that it is possible in principle to do fault-tolerant quantum computation with the overhead constant in the size of the computation, and with a low constant at that. The result depends on recent progress on quantum low-density parity check codes.

To keep up to date on the latest news about Q+ hangouts you can follow us on:

or visit our website.