Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2018
Volume 63, Number 1
Monday–Friday, March 5–9, 2018; Los Angeles, California
Session P61: Kavli Foundation Special Symposium: Frontiers of Physics |
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Chair: Meigan Aronson, Texas A&M University Room: LACC West Hall B |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:30PM - 3:06PM |
P61.00001: Einstein, Gravitational Waves and a New Science Invited Speaker: Barry Barish Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves 100 years ago, but the effects are so tiny that even Einstein thought they could never be detected. After 40 years of controversy, theorists finally developed a consensus that they really do exist. Then the problem became whether experimental physicists could develop instruments sensitive enough to actually detect them? The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), using exquisitely sensitive techniques, has made the dramatic observations of gravitational waves coming from the collision of two Black Holes and more recently, Binary Neutron Stars. These observations have opened a totally new window on the universe. The history, techniques and scientific implications will be discussed. |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 3:06PM - 3:42PM |
P61.00002: Discovery of the chiral Majorana fermion and its application to topological quantum computing Invited Speaker: Shoucheng Zhang Majorana fermion is a hypothetical fermionic particle which is its own anti-particle. Intense research efforts focus on its experimental observation as a fundamental particle in high energy physics and as a quasi-particle in condensed matter systems. We have theoretically predicted the chiral Majorana fermion in a hybrid structure of quantum anomalous Hall thin film coupled with a conventional superconductor, and proposed the half-integer quantized conductance plateau as its compelling signature. Recently, this theoretical prediction has been experimentally realized in magnetically doped topological insulator coupled with Nb superconductor and the half plateau quantization has been observed. I shall discuss a new proposal to braid the chiral Majorana fermion in a Corbino device geometry. The discovery of the chiral Majorana fermion leads to new avenues towards topological quantum computing, which could be much faster compared to Majorana zero modes. |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 3:42PM - 4:18PM |
P61.00003: Neuromorphic Computing Invited Speaker: Ivan Schuller TBA |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:18PM - 4:54PM |
P61.00004: Frugal science: A physicist view on tackling global health and education challenges Invited Speaker: Manu Prakash Science faces an accessibility challenge. Although information/knowledge is fast becoming available to everyone around the world, the experience of science is significantly limited. One approach to solving this challenge is to democratize access to scientific tools. We believe this can be achieved via “Frugal science”; a philosophy that inspires design, development and deployment of ultra-affordable yet powerful scientific tools for the masses. Using examples from my own work (Foldscope: one dollar origami microscope, Paperfuge: a twenty cents high-speed centrifuge); I will briefly describe the process of identifying challenges, designing solutions and deploying these tools to enable open ended scientific curiosity/inquiries in communities around the world. By connecting the dots between science education and global health, I will explore the role of “simple” tools in advancing access to better human health in a resource limited world. |
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:54PM - 5:30PM |
P61.00005: When a Weed is a Flower: Reimagining Our Classification System Invited Speaker: Amir Abo-Shaeer Our global society and economy is increasingly driven by technology yet, at an early age, many students become disconnected from science and math. To address this, I founded the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy (DPEA) in 2002 at a public high school in Goleta, California. The DPEA is a four-year program with a unique entrepreneurial, interdisciplinary, project/design-based curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). We work with our students to design, fabricate, test, and program professional-quality, interactive exhibits and installations that engage audiences in the wonderment that is the physical phenomena that surrounds us. By setting and meeting audacious goals -- such as designing and developing a 50,000-part Carousel of Physics -- we are redefining what is possible in a high school setting and serving as a disruptive force for change in the world of education. The culture of inclusivity that we have nurtured is inviting to all and has changed the faces of the students in our community who believe that they can be scientists and engineers. Gender equity continues to elude most of STEM education, yet over 50\% of our 400$+$ student body are young women. Empowered and inspired by our program, 85\% of our graduates pursue STEM-related fields in college. In this presentation, I will share my unlikely journey from physicist to engineer to high school teacher to MacArthur Fellow and the transformation of my educational philosophy from traditional to unconventional. |
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