Events
April
| Event Location: TRIUMF - Main Office Building Auditorium (4004 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver, BC / V6T 2A3) | Speaker: Sabrina Leslie (UBC) and Andrea Capra (TRIUMF)
April 12 (TRIUMF)
10:00 Sabrina Leslie (UBC): "New eyes on medicines and vaccines: seeing how they work one molecule at a time"
11:10 Andrea Capra (TRIUMF): "Dropping anti-atoms at CERN"
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March
| Event Location: SFU Surrey (13450 - 102nd Avenue Galleria 250 Surrey, BC / V3T 0A3) | Speaker: Sabrina Leslie (UBC) and Annika Lennarz (TRIUMF)
March 29 (SFU)
10:00 Sabrina Leslie (UBC): "New eyes on medicines and vaccines: seeing how they work one molecule at a time"
11:10 Annika Lennarz (TRIUMF): "Hunting for Ghosts - Searching for massive neutrinos with superconducting sensors"
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March
| Event Location: Vancouver Public Library - Central Library (Montalbano Family Theatre); 350 West Georgia St. Vancouver V6B 6B1 | Speaker: Dr. Michelle Kunimoto
Curious about how the universe actually works?
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March
| Event Location: SFU Surrey (13450 - 102nd Avenue Galleria 250 Surrey, BC / V3T 0A3) | Speaker: Darren Grant (SFU) and Stephan Malbrunot (TRIUMF)
March 8 (SFU)
10:00 Darren Grant (SFU): "Ghost chasing 101: opening a new window to the extreme Universe"
11:10 Stephan Malbrunot (TRIUMF): "Unraveling mysteries and (broken) symmetries of the universe with radioactive molecules"
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March
| Event Location: TRIUMF - Main Office Building Auditorium (4004 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver, BC / V6T 2A3) | Speaker: Chris Charles (TRIUMF) and Darren Grant (SFU)
March 1 (TRIUMF)
10:00 Chris Charles (TRIUMF): "Particle Accelerator Chemistry: Radiolytic Production of Organic Molecules and Emergence of Life in Extreme Planetary Environments"
11:10 Darren Grant (SFU): "Ghost chasing 101: opening a new window to the extreme Universe"
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March
| Event Location: HENNINGS building |
Welcome to the Physics Olympics!
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February
| Event Location: Vancouver Public Library - Central Branch (Montalbano Family Theatre); 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver / V6B 6B1 | Speaker: Dr. Thomas Rennie
Curious about how the universe actually works?
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February
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Michael Foss-Feig (Quantinuum)
Empirical evidence for a gap between the computational powers of classical and quantum computers has been provided by experiments that sample the output distributions of two-dimensional quantum circuits. Many attempts to close this gap have utilized classical simulations based on tensor network techniques, and their limitations shed light on the improvements to quantum hardware required to frustrate classical simulability.
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February
| Event Location: HENN 200 | Speaker: Undergraduate Science Presentations
Join us for this thrilling and educational science communication contest, showcasing six undergraduate student presenters explaining complex physics and astronomy topics without the use of academic or technical language/slides.
Clear science communication is the bridge that brings science to the world. Be inspired by our students as they share their knowledge of physics and astronomy with you!
High school student, parents and families are most welcome. PHAS undergrads, come cheer on your peers!
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February
| Event Location: SFU (Surrey: 13450 - 102nd Avenue Galleria 250 Surrey, BC / V3T 0A3) | Speaker: Chris Charles (TRIUMF) and Anan Lu (UBC)
February 8 (SFU)
10:00 Chris Charles (TRIUMF): "Particle Accelerator Chemistry: Radiolytic Production of Organic Molecules and Emergence of Life in Extreme Planetary Environments"
11:10 Anan Lu (UBC): "Observing galaxies in our nearby universe"
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February
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Zakaria al Balushi (UC Berkeley)
TBA
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February
| Event Location: TRIUMF - Main Office building Auditorium (4004 Westbrook Mall, Vancouver BC / V6T 2A3) | Speaker: Annika Lennarz (TRIUMF) and Anan Lu (UBC)
February 1 (at TRIUMF)
10:00 Annika Lennarz (TRIUMF): "Hunting for Ghosts - Searching for massive neutrinos with superconducting sensors"
11:10 Anan Lu (UBC): "Observing galaxies in our nearby universe"
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January
| Event Location: Vancouver Public Library - Central Library (Montalbano Family Theatre); 350 West Georgia St. Vancouver V6B 6B1 | Speaker: Dr. Aaron Boley
Curious about how the universe actually works? Join the experts from UBC's Department of Physics & Astronomy to find out fun facts about everything from eclipses to space junk in this new, accessible science series. All are welcome!
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January
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Steven Blaber (UBC)
For over 50 years, the two-level system (TLS) model has stood as the prevailing description of thermal and acoustic properties of amorphous solids. Atomistic modeling shows that TLS are not independent as typically assumed, but form a sparse, interconnected network. I will discuss the mechanical loss in amorphous solids based on the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of connected networks, providing a major advance beyond the quintessential two-level system model, and revealing new avenues for the study amorphous materials.
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January
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Olivia di Matteo (UBC ECE)
As quantum computing hardware continues to improve, so must the tools we use to write quantum algorithms. There is a growing need for more expressive quantum programming languages that enable developers to write code at higher levels of abstraction than quantum circuits. This, in turn, necessitates robust and automated compilers that can generate optimized sequences of quantum operations in a scalable way. Such compilers are especially important for algorithms with many interdependent classical and quantum subroutines, such as Shor's factoring algorithm.
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January
| Event Location: Frederic Wood Theatre - UBC-V campus (6354 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2) | Speaker: Marc Garneau & Dumitru Dorin Prunariu
The Outer Space Institute's upcoming John S. MacDonald Outer Space Lecture will be on January 22, 2025 at the Frederic Wood Theatre on UBC campus from 4:30-6:00 pm.
The talk will feature Marc Garneau, Canadian astronaut and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dumitru Dorin Prunariu, Romanian cosmonaut and former Chairman of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space!
Admission is FREE! Space is limited however so we ask that people register ahead of time.
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January
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Jamie Bock, Marvin L. Goldberger Prof. of Physics, California Institute of Technology and Sr. Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Abstract:
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January
| Event Location: Coach House, Green College (6201 Cecil Green Park Road, Vancouver, BC / V6T 1Z1 Canada) | Speaker: Bill McCutcheon, Jess McIver and Pedro Villalba González
ASTROPHYSICS OVER TIME
Speakers: William H. McCutcheon, Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy; Jess McIver, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy; and Pedro Villalba González, PhD Candidate, Physics and Astronomy, and Green College Resident Member.
Location: Coach House, Green College, UBC
Date/Time: Thursday, January 16, 5-6:30 pm, with reception to follow
Abstract:
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January
| Event Location: HENN 201 | Speaker: Rae M. Robertson-Anderson, University of California San Diego (UCSD)
Abstract:
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January
| Event Location: Outside of HENN 200 (atrium) |
We welcome you to our weekly PHAS THURSDAY Tea!
Term 2 has delivered a new schedule for our friendly neighbourhood tea event: join us Thursdays from 3-4pm in the atrium outside of HENN 200. For those interested, we invite you to follow up with our weekly Department colloquia in HENN 201 from 4-5pm.
We welcome all students, staff and faculty to meet new-to-you colleagues, catch up with your physics community and to learn about current happenings in the PHAS Department.
Meet your hosts from the EDI Community Building Working Group:
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January
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Jinshan Wu (Beijing Normal University)
Trained as a condensed-matter theorist at UBC under Mona Berciu, over the past five years I have become increasingly involved in education research and practice. In fact, I've become quite an active leader in developing and promoting Meaningful Learning towards Advanced Knowledge Generators for Cultivating Creators (ML4C). In this talk, I will share the key ideas and concepts of ML4C, which are summarized in the next paragraph.
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January
| Event Location: HENN 309 | Speaker: Sean Vanbergen, PhD Candidate - Internal Defense
Abstract:
The TRIUMF Ultracold Advanced Neutron (TUCAN) Collaboration is developing a new measurement of the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) with the goal of improving the current best limit of dn < 1.8E-26 ecm (90% C.L.) to the level of dn < 2E-27 ecm (90% C.L.). A non-zero nEDM requires the violation of charge-parity (CP) symmetry, and so the measurement of the nEDM can shed light on unanswered questions of fundamental physics such as baryon asymmetry, the strong CP problem, and extensions of the Standard Model such as supersymmetry.
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January
| Event Location: HEBB 116 | Speaker: Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Arizona State University
Abstract:
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January
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: J. Steven Dodge, SFU
Over a decade of research has suggested that some metallic compounds can be transformed into superconductors by illuminating them with intense beams of laser light. Recently, we have shown that the experimental evidence for this effect could literally be an optical illusion produced by the high-intensity laser illumination. By examining several influential results on photoinduced superconductivity in K3C60, we have identified a fundamental flaw in their analysis that exaggerates the apparent photoinduced changes to the conductivity.
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January
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Anna Ho, Cornell University
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: Via Zoom | Speaker: Sydney Dufresne, PhD candidate
Abstract:
This thesis details the development of a 6.2 eV laser-based time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) apparatus with micro-scale spatial resolution for the study of equilibrium and non-equilibrium properties of inhomogeneous and exfoliated samples. To demonstrate the performance of this apparatus, we spatially resolve the sample inhomogeneities giving rise to spectral broadening of the surface state of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 observed when increasing the spot-size of the 6.2 eV source incident on the sample surface.
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December
2024
| Event Location: AMPEL building, Room 311 | Speaker: Ryan Roemer, PhD candidate
Abstract:
In this work, we explore what happens to a magnet when it is to only a few layers of atoms thick. To do this we grow crystals of Fe$_3$GeTe$_2$ with a technique akin to atomic spray paint, which allows for the precise control of atomic ratios to approach a nearly perfect stoichiometry.
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December
2024
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Sebastian ten Haaf, Delt University of Technology
The Kitaev chain model predicts the ability to engineer localized Majorana bound states: non-Abelian zero-energy excitations that are protected from local perturbations, which can be utilized for realizing robust quantum computation schemes. Recent work on InSb nanowires demonstrated that the ingredients for a minimal Kitaev chain, consisting of two sites, can be engineered by coupling quantum dots (QDs) via two second-order processes: crossed Andreev reflection and elastic co-tunnelling.
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 201 | Speaker: Chiara Mingarelli, Yale University
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Laurence Perreault-Levasseur, Université de Montréal
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 |
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December
2024
| Event Location: Graduate Student Centre (6371 Crescent Road), Room 203 | Speaker: Raelyn Sullivan, PhD student
Abstract:
Over the past century, our understanding of the Universe has grown dramatically. Today, scientists use a model that requires just six key numbers to describe how the Universe evolved. Yet, some big mysteries remain unsolved. In my thesis, I explore two of these mysteries.
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December
2024
| Event Location: HEBB 100 |
We are thrilled to announce that our annual Faraday Show will be held on Sunday December 8th, in-person, on the UBC-Vancouver campus in HEBB 100.
The Faraday Show is UBC’s annual science lecture, designed for children and all those who are ‘young at heart’. It is presented by UBC Physics & Astronomy students, faculty and staff.
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Scott Collier (MIT)
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Dr. John McGreevy, University of California, San Diego
Welcome to the third talk in our new Pioneers in Theoretical Physics Colloqium Series.
On December 3rd, we present Dr. John McGreevy, professor of physics at UC San Diego.
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Jennifer Y. H. Chan, postdoctoral fellow at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Toronto
Abstract:
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December
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 |
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 201 | Speaker: Roger Melko (U Waterloo & Perimeter Institute)
Abstract:
In the last several years, generative language models like GPT have scaled to the point where they routinely demonstrate emergence behaviour. I will demonstrate how language models can be trained on the qubit measurement data produced by today's quantum devices, and discuss how large models could help scale quantum computers in the future.
Bio:
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November
2024
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Ehud Altman (UC Berkeley)
Abstract: A novel aspect of recent experiments with quantum devices is that measurements can play an active role in preparing the state of the system, not just in diagnosing it. Unlike unitary evolution, the quantum collapse induced by local measurements can have a highly non-local impact on entangled quantum states, instantaneously destroying or creating new long distance correlations. I will review the surprising collective effects that can arise, such as measurement induced phase transitions and new entanglement structures.
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Guy Leckenby, PhD student
Abstract:
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Dr. Pep Blai Covas Vidal, Junior Scientist in Continuous Gravitational Waves at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
Abstract:
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November
2024
| Event Location: Brimacombe 311 | Speaker: Vedangi Pathak, PhD student
Abstract:
Time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) effects can be detrimental to superconductivity. For example, TRSB caused by magnetic fields can destroy superconducting states. However, the coexistence of TRSB and superconductivity can give rise to intriguing phenomena, such as non-trivial topological phases of matter. We explore TRSB in two-dimensional unconventional and topological superconducting heterostructures without external magnetic fields across three different platforms.
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Dr. David Keitel, Senior Lecturer in Theoretical Physics and the Universitat de les Illes Balears
Abstract:
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: Carl Rodriguez, University of North Carolina
Abstract:
The life cycles of star clusters are an integral part of the formation of galaxies and their black hole populations. In these dense stellar environments, stars and black holes participate in complicated dynamical interactions that can create many unique objects, such as detached black hole binaries, hypervelocity stars, and gravitational-wave sources. In this talk, I will review our current
understanding of the evolution of dense star clusters in the Milky Way, and their complicated relationship with their black hole populations.
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: UBC Astronomy Club
Star Party, hosted by the UBC Astronomy Club, will be showcasing several of the UBC Astronomy Club's telescopes to an audience of undergraduates, graduates, and faculty members of the physics and astronomy department interested in astronomy. It will feature the live operation of Thunderbird South, UBC's Southern Observatory, configured and maintained by UBC professors Aaron Boley and Paul Hickson.
Pizza will be served to all in attendance!
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November
2024
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Masaki Oshikawa (U Tokyo)
Symmetry-Protected Topological (SPT) phases are, as the name suggests, topological phases without any conventional local order parameter, but distinct from the trivial phase only in the presence of a certain symmetry. The concept was first proposed by Gu and Wen in 2009 as a generalization of topological insulators discovered earlier. However, the prototypical example of the SPT phases, the Haldane gap phase in odd-integer spin chains, was discovered much earlier in the 1980s.
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 201 | Speaker: Joachim O. Rädler, Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Abstract:
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November
2024
| Event Location: BRIM 311 | Speaker: Andrew Potter (UBC)
The recent experiments have shown evidence for a fractional quantum spin Hall (FQSH) state in twisted MoTe2 bilayers. In this talk I will review these experiments, survey some theoretical scenarios for candidate abelian and non-abelian FQSH orders. I will also describe a possible route towards building a topological quantum memory by interfacing FQSH states with superconductors, and propose an all-electrical scheme to detect their topological ground-space degeneracy.
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November
2024
| Event Location: HENN 318 | Speaker: USRA PHAS Student Panelists
Have questions about how to apply to Undergraduate Summer Research Awards (USRA)? Need some help navigating all the steps required for USRA (SURE, NSERC, WLIURA) and other non-USRA research opportunities?
Come hear our panel of PHAS undergrads relate their research experiences and tips for applying. All are welcome! Snacks will be available.
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November
2024
| Event Location: Zoom | Speaker: Dr. Marina Milner-Bolotin
Discover how AI can support your child’s education! This interactive workshop is designed for parents of middle and high school students to explore how AI tools can enhance learning, provide personalized support, and simplify homework. Learn practical strategies to guide your child’s responsible and effective use of AI while fostering their academic success. Join us to empower your family with the skills to thrive in the digital age!
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