Andrew Jaffe has posted his review of The Goldilocks Enigma: Why is the Universe Just Right for Life? by Paul Davies. Which is an entertaining read, and got me to thinking (okay, what follows doesn’t exactly qualify as thinking, BTW) So some physicists want to use anthropic principles as a solution to the problem of explaining the physics of our universe. But why stop at explaining things like the value of the cosmological constant? Why not go for something bigger, like the question quantum foundations people love: “why quantum theory?” So a challenge: derive quantum theory from the anthropic principle. Do that and I might even begin to believe that the anthropic principle actually has some value beyond making me shout out in pain when reading anthropic arguments 🙂
Speed Equals Job?
Job title advertisement as seen on the APS job website:
Ultrafast Staff Physicists
Slow physicists, need not apply.
Vote You Silly Americans, Vote!
American politics? Best summed up by the Simpsons:
Kang (disguised as Bob Dole): Abortions for all
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Very well, no abortions for anyone.
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Hmm… Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!
(Crowd cheers and waves miniature flags)
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vote. Why should you vote? More wisdom from the Simpsons:
Marge: I still don’t understand why we have to build a ray gun to aim at a planet I’ve never even heard of.
Homer: Don’t blame me. I voted for Kodos. (he is whipped by an alien)
You don’t want to be enslaved by aliens, now, do you?
Update: Just in case this election threatens to send you into a bout of depression, I highly recommend, this laughing baby
Postdocs Obey a Perimeter Law?
Postdocs, postdocs, everywhere and not a faculty job to seek (just kidding….or am I 😉 )
Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo
Applications are invited for postdoctoral positions in any area of quantum information. The starting date of the appointment is open.
A Ph.D. and proven ability, or the potential, for excellent research is required. Successful candidates will be joining a substantial research and training centre in quantum information at Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). Information about IQC personnel and activities can be found at www.iqc.ca. The IQC is based at the University of Waterloo, and includes, at present, more than a dozen researchers from the Faculties of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. The candidates will also have the opportunity to interact with scientists at the nearby Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and UW’s Centre for Applied Cryptographic Research.
If interested please go to our application form on-line. https://www.iqc.ca/positions/postdocapp/postdocapp.php
The deadline for receiving applications is 15 November 2006.
Applications may be processed as they are received. Late applications will be accepted as long as positions are still available.
and, hoisted from the comments,
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is seeking postdoctoral applicants in the areas of:
o Quantum Information Theory
o Quantum Gravity
o String Theory
o Cosmology
o Foundations of Quantum Theory
o Condensed Matter Physics
o Elementary Particle Physics
Perimeter Institute is located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and offers a dynamic, multi-disciplinary research environment with much freedom. Successful candidates will benefit from mentorship by Faculty, ability to invite visitors, opportunity to organize innovative conferences and workshops, access to substantive travel funds, supervision of students, optional participation in scientific committees, assistance from PI’s administrative team, as well as enjoying the productive research atmosphere and amenities of the award winning facility.
The postdoctoral positions are normally for a period of three years. Outstanding candidates may also be considered for a senior postdoctoral position with a five-year term. Exceptional applicants are encouraged to apply by November 15th, 2006. Full details and application forms are available at www.perimeterinstitute.ca.
The Institute is presently staffed with 61 resident researchers including 10 Faculty and 8 Associate Members. Currently, there is a complement of 28 Postdoctoral Researchers and a very active Visitor Program including 15 Long Term Visitors with expectations of hosting some 300 scientists throughout this academic year. A list of Visitors and other researchers is available at www.perimeterinstitute.ca/people/
Help feed the blackberry hole!
Measurement-Based Conference
The fact that you can perform unitary quantum evolutions using simple (adaptive) measurements is, to a physicist, an unexpected result. Indeed, it could be that there is no unitary evolution in the universe, only measurements! If you’re interested in measurement based quantum computing, you might be interested in conference advertised below:
International Workshop on Measurement-based Quantum Computation (MBQC07)
St. John’s College, Oxford
18 – 21 March 2007
http://www.qunat.org/workshop/
Measurement-based quantum computing (MBQC) is an active and rapidly growing area of research. The formalism of graph states (or cluster states) has proven to be a powerful way of describing the essential entanglement resources needed to perform quantum information processing tasks. Initially conceived for systems such as optical lattices and linear optical computing, this theory is now shaping the latest experimental proposals across the full spectrum of QIP technologies. A key theme of this workshop will be to foster dialog between theoreticians involved in MBQC and the experimentalists who are positioned to embrace and implement the new ideas.
Registration is open until November 30th and the number of participants will be limited to 50.
SFI Postdocs
This is a bit late being posted, but the Santa Fe Institute is running their postdoc search this year. SFI has always had a running interesting the border between physics and computer science and was even crazy enough to hire a crazy theorist like me as a postdoc. Oh, how I miss those green chiles. Here is the information for the positions, which I highly recommend quantum computing people to consider as an option. Plus you’ll get to live in New Mexico and eat lots of awesome New Mexican food and go skiing at the ever awesome Taos ski area (not to mention that the UNM and Los Alamos quantum computing groups are but a short drive away):
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Santa Fe Institute (SFI) anticipates offering several Postdoctoral Fellowships to begin in September 2007.
The Postdoctoral Fellowship program provides up to three years of support for independent research at SFI. Postdoctoral Fellows are encouraged to engage research questions of their own design, and to form collaborations with members of the faculty, other SFI postdocs, and researchers from around the world. Fellows pursue research that lies at the boundaries of the traditional academic disciplines, and that creates new fields of inquiry.
In addition to salary, health benefits, and retirement contributions, Fellows have access to funds to support travel to meetings, to visit collaborators at other institutions, and to bring collaborators to visit SFI. Fellows are encouraged to participate in all SFI activities, to invite speakers for the colloquium series, and to organize workshops and working groups.
Research at SFI is integrative, and there are no formal programs or departments. Individual research projects draw input from a variety of fields, including biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, mathematics, economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science. We welcome applications from any of these fields, as well as others not listed here. Descriptions of the research interests of the faculty and current Postdoctoral Fellows can be found at http://www.santafe.edu/research/researchers.php. Most research at SFI focuses on theoretical and computational approaches, although applicants whose research includes an experimental or data-collection component in collaboration with off-site colleagues are also encouraged to apply.
Candidates should have a Ph.D. (or expect to receive one by September 2007), a strong academic record, and a proven ability to work independently. We are particularly favorable toward applicants with an interest in trans-disciplinary interactions and collaboration, and who have demonstrated the potential to think outside traditional paradigms.
Applications are welcome from candidates in any country. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. Successful foreign applicants must acquire an acceptable visa (usually a J-1) as a condition of employment
TO APPLY: Please view the full position announcement and application instructions at http://www.santafe.edu/education/postdocinst07.php. For full consideration, please submit all application materials, including three letters of recommendation, by November 15, 2006. For further information, please e-mail postdocinfo[at]santafe.edu.
Where In the World Is David San Diego?
Visiting the Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech! Just in time because it was freeeezing in Seattle (ice on the windshield…which means snow in the hills soon!)
Nov. 01, 2006 (Wednesday), 3pm
When Physics and Computer Science Collide!
Our world, at its very base, appears to be a cauldron of indeterminism. Not only does quantum theory tell us that we can at best predict the probabilities of different events, but every system in nature is an open system which interacts with its surroundings to produce uncertainties in the state of the system. How, then, in such an uncertain world, is it possible to produce machines which operate with virtual certainty? This question is at the heart of defining what is and what is not a computer. In this talk I will discuss how we approach this problem in the field of quantum computing through what is known as the theory of fault-tolerant quantum computing. This will take us on a broad tour of some of the most exciting ideas occuring where physics and computer science collide.
Energy Research Spending, What Energy Research Spending?
From a friend, with a byline “why it’s nice to plot on a linear scale”: this NYTimes graphic (accompanying article here)
Zotero Zero Until Arxivero
No arXiv support yet, but a cool firefox reference organizer tool to keep an eye on Zotero. Without arxiv support its pretty much useless to me right now, but playing around with it for other sites makes me think it would be extremely valuable.
Quantum Percent Sign?
Okay, so when we talk about classical systems, our description of the configuration of the different states is given by a probability. So I might say my bit is a mixture of 50% 0 and 50% 1. Now when we move to quantum theory we no longer have probabilities but instead have complex numbers. But what symbol am I supposed to use for this? My state is a mixture of 1/sqrt(2) q% 0 and 1/sqrt{2} q% 1? Mabye we should invent a new symbol which is the % sign but with the slash the other direction? Or turn those 0s in the % sign into “q”s?