Events List for the Academic Year
Event Time:
Thursday, October 14, 2021 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Event Location:
Hennings 201 or via zoom
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2021-10-14T16:00:00
2021-10-14T17:00:00
This year's Physics Nobel Prize
Event Information:
Let's discuss the background to the 2 parts of this year's Nobel Prize in Physics.
James Charbonneau - CLIMATE SCIENCE
This will be a short description of how Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann were jointly awarded half of the 2021 prize "for the physical modelling of Earth's climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming".
Philip Stamp - SPIN GLASSES & COMPLEXITY
This short talk will describe the work leading to the Nobel award last week to Giorgio Parisi. I will focus on what is meant by "complexity",and on the "spin glass" system for which it was initially worked out, and on how these ides have then been applied to everything from economics and social behaviour to physics. Although the work is very technical, it can be described in simple language suitable for non-scientists, and that is what I will do.
Event Location:
Hennings 201 or via zoom
Event Time:
Thursday, October 14, 2021 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Event Location:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
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2021-10-14T10:00:00
2021-10-14T11:00:00
CM Seminar - Andrew Potter: Simulating highly-entangled matter with quantum tensor networks
Event Information:
Abstract: Quantum computation tantalizing promises efficient solutions to a broad range of classically-hard materials and chemistry simulation problems of interest to both basic science and practical applications. However, nascent quantum processors are severely limited in both memory and accuracy, and remain a long way from surpassing state-of-the-art classical computational methods. In this talk, I will review recent progress in bridging this gap by leveraging efficient quantum data compression afforded by tensor network representations, along with opportunistic midcircuit qubit reset and re-use in order to simulate large-scale models of quantum materials with relatively few qubits. I will highlight recent experimental implementations of quantum tensor network algorithms for simulating entangled ground-states and non-equilibrium dynamics of correlated spins and electrons on a trapped ion quantum processor.
Event Location:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Event Time:
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | 4:15 pm - 5:15 pm
Event Location:
Connect via zoom
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2021-10-07T16:15:00
2021-10-07T17:15:00
2021 Heat Dome: An extremely rare event that we will likely see again
Event Information:
The deadly heat dome that settled over the Pacific Northwest at the end of June 2021 was a 1 in 1000 year event. But climate scientists say it was 150 times more likely to happen because of human-caused climate change. I'll take you through the series of unique conditions that came together for the unprecedented event to occur -- and why we need to prepare now for the next one.
Please note the later starting time: 4.15pm
Event Location:
Connect via zoom
Event Time:
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Event Location:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Add to Calendar
2021-10-07T10:00:00
2021-10-07T11:00:00
CM Seminar - From Quantum Magnets to Magnetic Thermoelectrics: Short-Range Spin Correlations and the Secrets They Keep
Event Information:
Short-range magnetic correlations have been increasingly recognized in recent years for their importance in contexts as widely varied as geometrically frustrated magnetism and functional magnetocaloric materials. Neutron scattering provides experimental access to these short-range correlations through magnetic diffuse scattering, but characterizing magnetic short-range order with quantitative accuracy has remained a difficult task. Here, I introduce magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF) analysis as a powerful tool for the detailed elucidation of shortrange magnetic correlations by Fourier transforming the diffuse magnetic scattering into real
space, and I present the application of mPDF to two material systems for which the details of the short-range magnetic correlations are crucial for their unusual properties. The first is TmMgGaO4, an Ising triangular lattice antiferromagnet with rich low-temperature behavior, including a predicted topological Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Our mPDF results reveal intricate spin correlations consistent with this theoretical prediction, providing strong experimental support for the proposed Kosterlitz-Thouless phase. The second material is MnTe, an antiferromagnetic semiconductor with excellent thermoelectric properties at elevated temperatures. The presence of short-range antiferromagnetic correlations above the Neel temperature contributes to the enhanced thermoelectric response. Using mPDF, we reveal the real-space nature of these magnetic correlations and gain deeper insight into the origin of the unusually large thermopower of MnTe.
Bio: Ben Frandsen is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Brigham Young University in Utah. He earned his PhD in condensed matter physics at Columbia University in New York in 2016, working with Professors Tomo Uemura and Simon Billinge on muon spin relaxation and x-ray and pair distribution function studies of strongly correlated electron systems. His graduate research took him to beautiful Vancouver many times to perform muon experiments at TRIUMF. Following his graduate work, he joined the group of Bob Birgeneau at UC Berkeley in California as a postdoctoral researcher, working primarily on experimental studies of iron-based superconductors. He joined the faculty at BYU in August 2018. His research at BYU is focused on investigating the local atomic and magnetic structure of complex materials using beams of x rays, neutrons, and muons. He was selected as a recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy Early Career Award in 2020 to study local atomic and magnetic structure in energy-relevant materials.
Event Location:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Event Time:
Monday, October 4, 2021 | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Event Location:
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2021-10-04T15:00:00
2021-10-04T16:00:00
Unveiling Stellar Light from the Host Galaxies of High-Redshift Quasars
Event Information:
Studying the host galaxies of high-redshift quasars provides vital insights into the early growth of supermassive black holes and the black hole—galaxy connection. The launch of JWST will start a new era in this field, providing the opportunity to observe the stellar components of these host galaxies for the first time. Here I will present an analysis of the hosts of z=7 quasars in the BlueTides cosmological hydrodynamical simulation. I will show how we have used the BlueTides simulation in combination with an observational quasar subtraction technique to make comprehensive predictions for photometric observations of these host galaxies with JWST. We analysed the success rates of detecting the host galaxies with various instruments, filters and exposure times, and studied which quasar and host properties are more likely to result in successful detections. This work guided our Cycle 1 JWST observations, which I will also discuss.
Event Location:
Connect via zoom
Event Time:
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Event Location:
Various events at UBC and elsewhere
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2021-09-30T16:00:00
2021-09-30T17:00:00
No Colloquium - Truth & Reconciliation Day
Event Information:
There will be no colloquium on the day of this national event to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools. See the following web-sites for information on what's happening at UBC:
https://irshdc.ubc.ca/orangeshirtday/
https://apsc.ubc.ca/orangeshirtday/
Event Location:
Various events at UBC and elsewhere
Event Time:
Monday, September 27, 2021 | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Event Location:
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2021-09-27T15:00:00
2021-09-27T16:00:00
Three-dimensional observations of interstellar magnetic fields
Event Information:
Magnetic fields pervade the interstellar medium and are important in the star-formation process. However, probing magnetic fields of star-forming regions is challenging. In this talk, I will discuss our research on the 3D morphology of magnetic fields in star-forming molecular clouds. We first developed a novel technique based on Faraday rotation measurements to determine the line-of-sight strength and direction of magnetic fields associated with molecular clouds. We applied our technique to four relatively nearby filamentary molecular clouds. For three of these clouds, we found that the line-of-sight magnetic field reverses across these clouds. We then incorporated these line-of-sight and Planck's plane-of-sky magnetic field observations along with models to study the 3D magnetic field morphology of the Orion A cloud. Recently, we determined the complete 3D magnetic field vectors (with signed directions), using large-scale Galactic magnetic field models and our line-of-sight maps for the Perseus and Orion A molecular clouds. At the end, I will briefly mention some of our ongoing research on the role of magnetic fields in the star-formation process.
Event Location:
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Event Time:
Thursday, September 23, 2021 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Event Location:
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2021-09-23T16:00:00
2021-09-23T17:00:00
Classical Mechanics versus Thermodynamics
Event Information:
It came as a shock when I first realized that some of the most famous equations in thermodynamics are just the same as the most famous equations in classical mechanics - with only the names of the variables changed. It turns out that this follows from a deep and not yet thoroughly studied analogy between the two subjects, which I will explain.
Event Location:
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Event Time:
Thursday, September 23, 2021 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Event Location:
Zoom link in description
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2021-09-23T10:00:00
2021-09-23T11:00:00
Internally engineered Majorana modes in twisted bilayer graphene
Event Information:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
Abstract: Twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) realizes an exquisitely tunable, strongly interacting system featuring superconductivity and various correlated insulating states. In this talk I will introduce gate-defined wires in TBG as an enticing platform for Majorana-based fault-tolerant qubits. Our proposal notably relies on “internally” generated superconductivity in TBG – as opposed to “external” superconducting proximity effects commonly employed in Majorana devices – and may operate even at zero magnetic field. I will also describe how electrical measurements of gate-defined wires can reveal the nature of correlated insulators and shed light on the Cooper-pairing mechanism in TBG.
Bio: Jason Alicea received his PhD from UC Santa Barbara in 2007 and then held a postdoc fellowship at Caltech. In 2010 he joined the faculty at UC Irvine before returning to Caltech as a professor in 2012. His research explores novel phases of matter in various physical settings, often motivated by fault-tolerant quantum computing applications.
Event Location:
Zoom link in description
Event Time:
Monday, September 20, 2021 | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Event Location:
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2021-09-20T15:00:00
2021-09-20T16:00:00
Observational Planet Formation
Event Information:
Planets form in gaseous protoplanetary disks surrounding newborn stars. As such, the most direct way to learn how they form from observations, is to observe them forming in disks. In the past, this was difficult due to a lack of observational capabilities, and planet formation was a subject of theoretical research. Now, thanks to a fleet of new instruments with unprecedented resolving power that have come online in the past decade, we have started to unveil features in resolved images of protoplanetary disks, such as gaps and spiral arms, that are likely associated with embedded (unseen) planets. By comparing observations with theoretical models of planet-disk interactions, the properties of still forming planets may be constrained. Such planets help us test planet formation models. This has opened a new field: observational planet formation. I will introduce the current status of this field, and highlight some of the latest developments.
Event Location:
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Event Time:
Thursday, September 16, 2021 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Event Location:
Hennings 201 (or via zoom)
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2021-09-16T16:00:00
2021-09-16T17:00:00
Overview of Physics & Astronomy Research Groups at UBC
Event Information:
Research group presentations:
Colin Gay - High-Energy Experiment
Stefan Reinsberg - Medical Physics
Jeremy Heyl - Astronomy and Astrophysics
Mark van Raamsdonk - High-Energy Theory and Gravity
Valery Milner - Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Steve Plotkin - Biophysics
Fei Zhou - Condensed Matter Theory
Ziliang Ye - Condensed Matter Experiment
Presentation slides
Download the full slide deck
Event Location:
Hennings 201 (or via zoom)
Event Time:
Thursday, September 16, 2021 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Event Location:
Zoom link in description
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2021-09-16T10:00:00
2021-09-16T11:00:00
CM Seminar: Controlling Emergent Behavior in Quantum Matter from a Theory Perspective
Event Information:
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/66879995529?pwd=dHpQb25LSGVZK3ozY243em5tenRWQT09
Meeting ID: 668 7999 5529
Passcode: 113399
My group’s research focuses on how quantum matter behaves, particularly away from equilibrium, and how we can harness emergent effects in these systems. In this context, I will focus on our newly introduced approaches to describe excited-states in quantum matter, including electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions beyond leading order, and predicting emergent states introduced by external drives. Next, I will discuss a class of exotic collective excitations which are unique to time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) superconductors and propose a number of means by which these excitations can be experimentally detected, introducing a notion of “collective mode spectroscopy” of TRSB superconductors1. Building on this, I will present avenues in using electromagnetic cavities and resonators to probe and control quantum matter discussing methods to treat electrons, photons and phonons on the same quantized footing, accessing new observables in strong light-matter coupling 2,3. Understanding the role of such strong light-matter interactions in the regime of strongly-correlated electronic systems is of paramount importance to fields of study across condensed matter physics, quantum optics, and quantum chemistry 4-6. Our theoretical and computational framework7-9 opens new routes by which the important problem of strongly-correlated quantum dynamics may be studied in these fields. Finally, I will give an outlook on driving correlated quantum systems far out-of-equilibrium to control the coupled electronic and lattice degrees-of-freedom and connect these recent predictions with ultrafast THz experiments underway.
1. Poniatowski, N. R., Curtis, J. B., Yacoby, A. & Narang, P. Spectroscopic signatures of time-reversal symmetry breaking superconductivity. arXiv [cond-mat.supr-con] (2021).
2. Schäfer, C., Flick, J., Ronca, E., Narang, P. & Rubio, A. Shining Light on the Microscopic Resonant Mechanism Responsible for Cavity-Mediated Chemical Reactivity. arXiv [quant-ph] (2021).
3. Philbin, J. P. et al. Room temperature single-photon superfluorescence from a single epitaxial cuboid nano-heterostructure. arXiv [physics.optics] (2021).
4. Juraschek, D. M., Meier, Q. N. & Narang, P. Parametric Excitation of an Optically Silent Goldstone-Like Phonon Mode. Phys. Rev. Lett. vol. 124 (2020).
5. Juraschek, D. M., Narang, P. & Spaldin, N. A. Phono-magnetic analogs to opto-magnetic effects. Phys. Rev. Research 2, 043035 (2020).
6. Juraschek, D. M., Neuman, T., Flick, J. & Narang, P. Cavity control of nonlinear phononics. Phys. Rev. Research 3, L032046 (2021)
7. Rivera, N., Flick, J. & Narang, P. Variational Theory of Nonrelativistic Quantum Electrodynamics. Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 193603 (2019).
8. Flick, J., Rivera, N. & Narang, P. Strong light-matter coupling in quantum chemistry and quantum photonics. Nanophotonics 7, 1479–1501 (2018).
9. Flick, J. & Narang, P. Cavity-Correlated Electron-Nuclear Dynamics from First Principles. Physical Review Letters vol. 121 (2018).
Biosktech: Prineha Narang came to Harvard University from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she worked as a Research Scholar in Condensed Matter Theory in the Department of Physics. She received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Prineha’s work has been recognized by many awards and special designations, including a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, a Max Planck Sabbatical Award from the Max Planck Society, and the IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Computational Physics in 2021, an NSF CAREER Award in 2020, being named a Moore Inventor Fellow by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for pioneering innovations in quantum science, CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and a Top Innovator by MIT Tech Review (MIT TR35).
Event Location:
Zoom link in description
Event Time:
Monday, September 13, 2021 | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Event Location:
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2021-09-13T15:00:00
2021-09-13T16:00:00
Mega-Constellations and Astronomers: Updates on SATCON2 and IAU Dark and Quiet Skies
Event Information:
The rapid development of low Earth orbit (LEO) is being done without due regard for the long-term preservation of LEO or humanity's connection with the cosmos. In particular, large constellations of satellites, i.e., so-called mega-constellations or satcons, have the potential to severely interfere with the use and exploration of space by numerous other actors. This includes interference with astronomy and stargazing through light and spectrum pollution. Satcon development also might have non-trivial environmental impacts on Earth's atmosphere. At the same time, space is free to be used and explored by all actors, provided that the use of space by one actor does not prevent others from also using and exploring space. Space is a regime that requires continuous cooperation.
In this vein, astronomers have intensified dialogue with satcon operators and governments in an effort to identify ways that LEO can be developed without causing significant disruptions to astronomical research, and more generally, to the preservation of dark and quiet skies. In this discussion, I highlight some of the progress that has been made in the past year through major initiatives, including the NSF sponsored SATCON1&2 recommendations and the IAU/UN Dark and Quiet Skies reports.
Event Location:
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Event Time:
Tuesday, September 7, 2021 | 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Event Location:
online
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2021-09-07T11:00:00
2021-09-07T11:45:00
PHAS Imagine Day Event 2021
Event Information:
The department will be hosting an Imagine Day session for undergraduate students. PHAS academic advisors will introduce PHAS undergrad programs and share tips for planning your academic schedule and seeking job/research opportunities. PHAS alumni will share experiences from student clubs. The event will end with a live Q&A session with PHAS advisors.
Enroll now at https://canvas.ubc.ca/enroll/7RHM98. Course materials will be available online for a month, after which content will be migrated to a PHAS webpage.
Other Imagine Day information
UBC Imagine Day website
Event Location:
online