Problems in Quantum Magnetism: Where Quantum, Statistical, Many-Body, and Measurement Science Meet

Abstract: Quantum magnetism studies how large numbers of interacting quantum particles organize and evolve collectively. Despite simple microscopic ingredients, quantum magnetic materials exhibit rich emergent behavior, novel phases of matter, and dynamics that often challenge our ability to predict, model, or even measure them. In this talk, I will introduce the basic concepts of quantum magnetism and discuss a variety of open problems at the intersection of optimization, statistical inference, inverse problems, uncertainty quantification, complexity, and information. Along the way, I will show how modern experiments probe quantum matter and how physicists seek simplified, predictive descriptions of systems whose underlying complexity is often enormous. I will also discuss how emerging quantum computing tools are used to study such systems, complementarily to experiments on real materials.
 

Bio: Martin Mourigal is a Professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech, holds the Dunn Family Professorship, and serves as Co-Director of the Quantum Applications Research Center. He received his undergraduate degree in materials science from École des Mines de Nancy in 2007 and his M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in 2008 and 2011, respectively. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University from 2011 to 2014 and joined Georgia Tech in 2015. His honors include a 2018 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a 2019 Kavli Fellowship by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the 2022 Science Prize from the Neutron Scattering Society of America.