Fall 2025 Colloquium Schedule

Colloquia are Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. in the JILA Auditorium. 

Coffee, tea and cookies will be available in G1B31 (across from G1B20) from 3:30 - 3:50 p.m.

August 27 — "Quantum Simulation and Sensing with Atoms Interacting via Photons"

  • Presenter: James K. Thompson, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder
  • Host: Ana Maria Rey
  • Watch on YouTube
  • Abstract: Photons bouncing back and forth many times between mirrors provide a way for atoms to interact at essentially infinite range.  These interactions open powerful new paths for quantum simulation and quantum sensing, allowing us to leverage the certainty provided by quantum mechanics to make very precise measurements of the world around us, or allowing us to emulate one quantum system with another to provide insights and understanding. In this talk, I will provide a sampling of my group’s work including how we use the quantum measurement process and interactions to create some of the most highly-entangled states realized in any system, realize the first entanglement-enhanced matterwave interferometer, and simulate the predicted dynamical phases of BCS superconductors.

*Colloquium Canceled* September 3

*Colloquium Canceled* September 10

September 17 — "Machine Protection for the Large Hadron Collider and Beyond"

  • Presenter: Christoph Wiesner, Machine Protection and Electrical Integrity Group (MPE), CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Host: Mihaly Horanyi
  • Abstract: The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is the most powerful particle accelerator ever constructed. It enables the study of the fundamental structure of matter by providing proton-proton collisions at the unprecedented energy of 6.8 TeV per beam. It delivers an instantaneous luminosity exceeding 2×1034 cm−2s−1 at its two general-purpose detectors, ATLAS and CMS. During high-intensity operation, the LHC now routinely stores energies of 430 MJ per beam—well beyond its original design specifications.
    Given the high energies stored in both its particle beams and superconducting magnet circuits, the LHC requires a sophisticated machine protection system. This presentation will outline the key challenges and describe the main elements of the LHC machine protection system. Examples of relevant beam loss scenarios, including interactions between the particle beam and dust contaminants, will be presented. Finally, an outlook for future high-intensity colliders will be given.

September 24

  • Presenter: Nergis Mavalvala, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Host: Ana Maria Rey
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October 1

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October 8

  • Presenter: Ike Chuang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Host: Ana Maria Rey
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October 15

  • Presenter: Merav Opher, Boston University
  • Host: Mihaly Horanyi
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October 22

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October 29

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November 5

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November 12

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November 19

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November 26 — No Colloquium, Fall Break

December 3

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For more information about colloquia this semester, contact: Mike Litos