Category Archives: Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self.

5 Years!

Posted on July 16, 2016 by dabacon

Five years ago I (it’s me Dave Bacon former supposed pseudo-professor and one time quantum pontiff) jumped off the academic ship, swam to shore, and put on a new set of clothes as a software developer for Google. Can it … Continue reading →

Posted in Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., Where's Dabacon? | 5 Comments

Goodbye Professor Tombrello

Posted on September 25, 2014 by dabacon

This morning I awoke to the horrible news that Caltech Physics Professor Tom Tombrello had passed away. Professor Tombrello was my undergraduate advisor, my research advisor, a mentor, and, most importantly a friend. His impact on me, from my career … Continue reading →

Posted in Caltech, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., Teaching | 5 Comments

Portrait of an Academic at a Midlife Crisis

Posted on October 24, 2013 by dabacon

Citations are the currency of academia. But the currency of your heart is another thing altogether. With apologies to my co-authors, here is a plot of my paper citations versus my own subjective rating of the paper. Hover over the … Continue reading →

Posted in Go Ahead, Waste Your Time, Quantum Computing, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self. | 1 Comment

Why I Left Academia

Posted on September 22, 2013 by dabacon

TLDR: scroll here for the pretty interactive picture. Over two years ago I abandoned my post at the University of Washington as a assistant research professor studying quantum computing and started a new career as a software developer for Google. … Continue reading →

Posted in Extralusionary Intelligence, Go Ahead, Waste Your Time, Off The Deep End, Programming, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., The Loony Bin Called Academia | 12 Comments

Lucky 13 paper dance!

Posted on September 19, 2012 by aram

Having recently rediscovered arxiv.org/submit, I thought I’d mention a few papers to come out of team UW. Two particularly exciting single-author papers are from students here. Kamil Michnicki has developed a 3-d stabilizer code on qubits with an energy barrier … Continue reading →

Posted in Quantum Computing, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self. | 3 Comments

The Quantum Interregnum Continues

Posted on June 26, 2011 by dabacon

The College of Cardinals continues to meet in conclave.   But alas after a week there is only….black smoke.

Posted in Off The Deep End, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., Where's Dabacon? | 6 Comments

Quantum Interregnum!

Posted on June 18, 2011 by dabacon

The Vicar of Randomization hereby informs the readers of this blog that the Quantum Pontiff Dave Bacon XLII has decohered.  He further informs the readers of this blog that the entire Quantum Pontiff blog is in Justitium and hopes that … Continue reading →

Posted in Off The Deep End, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., Where's Dabacon? | 2 Comments

Goodnight CSE

Posted on June 17, 2011 by dabacon

good night room goodnight nom de plume goodnight notebooks goodnight tests goodnight grants goodnight Mike and goodnight Ike goodnight publish and goodnight perish goodnight whiteboard goodnight star, goodnight air goodnight noises everywhere.

Posted in Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self. | 8 Comments

Oh the Places I've Been!

Posted on June 15, 2011 by dabacon

In 1996 I participated in Caltech‘s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program under the direction of two postdocs, Nicolas Cerf and Chris Adami (their big boss now works the halls of D.C.) The research project I worked on was to try … Continue reading →

Posted in Off The Deep End, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self. | 6 Comments

dabacon.job = "Software Engineer";

Posted on May 24, 2011 by dabacon

Some news for the remaining five readers of this blog (hi mom!) After over a decade of time practicing the fine art of quantum computing theorizing, I will be leaving my position in the ivory (okay, you caught me, really … Continue reading →

Posted in Quantum Computing, Self: Meet Center. Center: Meet Self., Technology, Where's Dabacon? | 21 Comments