A physics challenge at the heart of the first and second quantum revolutions

After nearly two decades of intensive effort from both experimental and theoretical communities, we are ushering in a new era in quantum sciences.

Groundbreaking experiments with cold atoms have enabled us to quantum simulate Hamiltonians, allowing us to study everything from quantum phase transitions to thermalization and emergent hydrodynamics. Another key advance comes from the high level of control achieved in experiments with light, which has made it possible to probe elementary excitations and activate different phases in quantum materials. Meanwhile, advances in materials science and quantum information have enabled quantum computing, starting a new paradigm for information processing. We have witness the birth of qubits: a novel unity for encoding information. Quantum processors are now available across a variety of platforms, and are accessible on the cloud to run algorithms through quantum circuits. The expectation is that, in near future, they will outperform classical chips and supercomputers in the solution of very complex problems.

This exciting scenario presents a number of theoretical challenges. To manipulate and probe increasingly complex systems, we must frame the problem as a many-body system with non-trivial interactions and account for their time-dependent response. A question of growing importance is the energetic cost associated with control and measurement in these quantum systems. The demand for new models and analytical and numerical tools to guide the design of quantum technologies requires an interdisciplinary approach that accounts for scalability, controllability, and efficiency.

My research is inspired by these challenges. I am currently work at the interface of condensed matter theory, statistical mechanics, and quantum information to help tackle them.