Speaker Series
Prof. David Kagan
May 21st, 2025, 7:00 PM EST
Prof. David Kagan is a Professor of Physics at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he has taught since 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics from the University of Cambridge, where he specialized in quantum integrable systems. With academic roots also at Columbia University, David's primary interests lie at the intersection of quantum mechanics, general relativity, and string theory.
Ava Zarkesh
May 15th 2025, 7:00 PM EST
Ava is a high school sophomore who has been programming quantum computers for several years. Her quantum computing journey complements her background in AI, where she has years of practical experience, even serving as a Teaching Assistant for the Caltech Intro to Machine Learning Bootcamp. She is particularly fascinated by the potential of quantum computing to advance AI systems through quantum machine learning algorithms.
Prof. Niayesh Afshordi
March 5th 2025, 7:00 PM EST
Professor Niayesh Afshordi is an Astrophysicist. He is a professor in the Astrophysics and Gravitation Group at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, and a founding faculty member at the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics (WCA).
Check out his latest book, "The Battle of the Big Bang."
Sirish Subash
November 15th 2024, 7:00 PM EST
Our very own Sirish Subash (author, inventor, and this year's 3M Young Scientist Challenge winner) is returning to Physics Literacy for Kids for another exciting Q&A session. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from him!
Prof. Ghazal Geshnizjani
September 11th 2024, 7:00 PM EST
Prof. Gheshnizjani has a PhD in physics from Brown University in 2005, followed by postdoctoral positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Perimeter Institute, and the University at Buffalo. She is a faculty member at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the University of Waterloo. She is a cosmologist and studies topics like the early universe, the cosmological Big Bang, and some topics in the late universe, such as dark energy models.
Prof. Matthew Headrick
June 26th 2024, 6:30 PM EST
Prof. Headrick's research interests lie in string theory and related areas of quantum field theory, general relativity, geometry, and quantum information theory. A particular interest is the relation between quantum entanglement and the geometry of space and time.
Prof. Robert Fisher
November 15th 2024, 7:00 PM EST
The primary theme of Dr. Fisher's research is the fundamental physics of turbulent flows, and its application to the two endpoints of stellar evolution -- star formation and supernovae -- using a combination of theoretical and computational techniques. Dr. Fisher is currently a professor of physics at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.
Professor James Sonne
June 12th 2024, 6:30 PM EST
Dr. James Sonne earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and has focused his career on neuroscience and the way the body produces movement from thought. As a scientist and educator, he is motivated to help students explore the power of scientific thinking for the benefit of future generations. He will be speaking to us about how the brain makes the body move.