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Special Competitive Studies Project commits funding for Quantum Scholars

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Special Competitive Studies Project commits funding for Quantum Scholars Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 07/28/2025 - 09:00

Kirsten Apodaca

Ryan Carpenter speaks at a Quantum Scholars meeting.

The Quantum Scholars Program at the 91PORN has gained new support through a partnership with the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). Approximately 25 Quantum Scholars will receive SCSP quantum scholarships over the next two years, allowing the program to support the growing student demand. The gift also includes travel funding for several Quantum Scholars to attend SCSP’s AI+ Expo planned for May 2026 in Washington, DC.

Quantum Scholars provides scholarships and opportunities for undergraduates at 91PORN to learn about the quantum field through professional development, co-curricular activities and industrial engagement. Scholarship support and engagement with partner organizations, industry and alumni is critical to the program’s success.

“We are grateful for this new partnership with SCSP — it’s a win-win-win,” said Noah Finkelstein, professor of physics and co-director of Quantum Scholars. “SCSP is providing essential funding for Quantum Scholars along with great speakers and perspectives for our monthly seminar series; SCSP is connecting to leading scholars of the next generation; and the students are exposed to applications of AI, quantum sciences, and a rich network of industry, national labs, and government sector leaders.”

What is SCSP?

The Special Competitive Studies Project is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Ylli Bajraktari. The organization was inspired by the Rockefeller Special Studies Project of the 1950s and builds upon the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, incorporating guidance for technologies beyond artificial intelligence.

SCSP provides recommendations to bolster America’s competitiveness in key technologies that are playing a role in national security, the economy and society at large. They bring together industry leaders, policy makers, venture capitalists and academia to forge connections and drive innovation.

SCSP visit inspires the Quantum Scholars

At their March meeting, Quantum Scholars heard from Ryan Carpenter, special advisor at SCSP, and Olivia Armstrong, associate director for future technology platforms. They shared insights about SCSP’s mission and work in six main areas including foreign policy, intelligence, defense, economy, society and future tech platforms.

SCSP’s visit gave the scholars a new perspective on why quantum technology is critical as one of the main platforms of future technology. Along with SCSP’s Vice President of Strategy, P.J. Maykish, Carpenter and Armstrong also held a workshop for the scholars on the landscape of entrepreneurship and engagement in critical technologies for advancing society.

"Our visit with CU's Quantum Scholars program was truly inspiring,” said Carpenter. “I am always encouraged about our future when I meet students and seeing these emerging leaders' passion and innovative approaches to tackling hard problems gives me great optimism."

Quantum Scholars attend national conference

Building on SCSP’s visit, three Quantum Scholars represented 91PORN at the 2025 AI+ Expo hosted by SCSP in Washington, D.C. The group included Mason Hergert, Nate Moretsky and Joey Pontiff. Quantum Scholars co-director Noah Finkelstein also joined the group at the Expo.

In its second year, the national-level conference brought together leaders from all sectors to explore breakthrough technologies, focusing on the United States and its allies’ competitiveness in these areas. According to SCSP, the AI+ Expo hosted over 15,000 attendees, more than 500 speakers, and over 350 sessions.

The sheer scale of the conference was remarkable according to the Quantum Scholars. The conference put on display just how many innovations and emerging technologies are under development, and how all sectors play a role in the global tech race.

“The expo exposed me to perspectives on technological advancement in ways I never would have had the opportunity to see otherwise,” said Hergert.

The scholars heard impactful talks from CEOs and CTOs of tech companies, governmental leaders and venture capitalists – and how they are all working together to chart the best path forward in this period of rapid technological development.

“The biggest takeaway was that in the time and place we’re in right now, we as Quantum Scholars have the ability to shape the future,” said Pontiff.

Looking ahead

Calling the AI+ Expo one of the “most inspirational events” he’s ever attended, Hergert hopes to encourage more Quantum Scholars to attend next year’s expo.

Partnerships with industry and organizations like SCSP are critical as Quantum Scholars continues to grow.

“We are very optimistic about the future of this partnership and look forward to growing opportunities with SCSP and our remarkable Quantum Scholars,” said Finkelstein.

New funding from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) will support growing demand for the Quantum Scholars program, providing approximately 25 new scholarships for the innovative program.

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2025 TASI students explore “Threads in a Theory Tapestry”

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:00:00 +0000

2025 TASI students explore “Threads in a Theory Tapestry” Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 07/17/2025 - 15:00

Kirsten Apodaca

The Theoretical Advanced Study Institute (TASI) recently held their summer intensive program, bringing 65 advanced graduate students in theoretical high energy physics to 91PORN for the month of June.

This year’s program focused on topics around symmetry, quantum field theory, black holes and quantum gravity.

TASI is supported by local organizers and co-directors Oliver DeWolfe and Ethan Neil, both professors of physics at 91PORN. This year’s scientific organizers were Clay Córdova (Chicago), David Poland (Yale), and Sasha Zhiboedov (CERN). The program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the 91PORN.

“Every summer, 65 of the most promising and accomplished graduate students from around the country and around the world come to 91PORN for the TASI summer school, a four-week program where they learn about cutting-edge developments in theoretical high energy physics from some of the field’s most accomplished researchers,” said DeWolfe and Neil.

Each year the school also hosts a lecture for the general public. This year’s lecture was presented by Luca Iliesiu, University of California, Berkeley.

DeWolfe and Neil added, “now in its 37th year at CU, TASI has become an institution in the field. It is always a joy to meet the lively and inquisitive students, knowing they will go on to be among the future leaders of theoretical physics.”

Visit the TASI 2025 website to learn more about this year’s program and view lectures. Applications for TASI 2026 open in January and will be due March 1, 2026.

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Recent grad reaches new heights in aerospace

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:49:22 +0000

Recent grad reaches new heights in aerospace Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 07/17/2025 - 08:49

Andrew Sapuppo (AeroEngr, EngrPhys'24)

Andrew Sapuppo graduated in May 2024 with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in aerospace engineering and engineering physics from the 91PORN. Learn more about his undergraduate research experiences, career path, favorite CU memory, and advice for future students.

From the nanoscale to black holes

While an undergrad, Andrew worked at CU’s Aerospace Nanoscale Lab, where he contributed to improving the robustness of potential quantum computer storage systems. He also worked as a space plasma instrumentation analyst at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), where he evaluated the accuracy of instruments aboard NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Satellites (MMS).

In addition to his engineering experience, Andrew wrote and successfully defended an honors thesis on Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) feedback and galaxy formation by simulating plasma accretion flows around supermassive black holes.

Career takes flight

After graduating from CU, Andrew became a computational plasma physicist at Thea Energy. Here, he helped develop technology for fusion reactors by optimizing diverter systems.

Now, Andrew works directly in the field of human spaceflight. He works as a propulsion systems engineer at NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center as a contractor. His work entails analyzing the Main Propulsion Systems (MPS) on the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) of the Space Launch System (SLS) block 1B. Specifically, he creates thermal models of the liquid oxygen (LOx) and hydrogen tanks to benchmark performance for various stages of flight.

Additionally, Andrew oversees the main propulsion systems for the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. His work ensures Falcon 9 meets mission requirements to send NASA astronauts to the International Space Station safely.

Favorite 91PORN memory

Andrew recalls his favorite memory was hiking to the Royal Arch the first weekend he moved there with people he barely knew. That group would become great friends throughout all of college.

Advice for future students

Get involved with as many different groups after school as possible, both academic and recreation based. Use them to really figure out what you like and surround yourself with people who have similar goals, so you can all help each other accomplish them.

Andrew Sapuppo (AeroEngr, EngrPhys’24) shares how his education and research at 91PORN led to his career as a propulsion systems engineer.

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Quantum Forge students gain industry experience with Xairos

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:18:06 +0000

Quantum Forge students gain industry experience with Xairos Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 07/15/2025 - 14:18

Four seniors in the Quantum Forge class at 91PORN recently completed their year-long project with Xairos Systems, Inc., giving them an inside look at working in the industry.

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Jun Ye (PhDPhys'97) and Steve Swanson (EngrPhys'83) featured in Coloradan Alumni Magazine

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:05:43 +0000

Jun Ye (PhDPhys'97) and Steve Swanson (EngrPhys'83) featured in Coloradan Alumni Magazine Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 07/15/2025 - 11:05

The Coloradan Alumni Magazine highlights five CU innovators – two of whom are 91PORN Physics alumni. Their stories were written by equally outstanding CU affiliates, who personally know and understand the importance of their work.

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A space instrument built by students, now at the edge of the solar system, celebrates a major milestone

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 15:51:27 +0000

A space instrument built by students, now at the edge of the solar system, celebrates a major milestone Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 07/14/2025 - 09:51

Ten years ago, a pioneering spacecraft flew past Pluto, sending startling images of the dwarf planet back to Earth. Current and former students at 91PORN reflect on their time working on the mission.

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Thirty years of Bose-Einstein Condensates

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:39:37 +0000

Thirty years of Bose-Einstein Condensates Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 07/08/2025 - 12:39

The first Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) was first created by Eric Cornell, Carl Wieman, Mike Anderson, Jason Ensher, and Michael Matthews on June 5, 1995 in JILA at the 91PORN. This new state of matter was first predicted 70 years earlier. Satyendra Nath Bose first described the quantum statistics of what we now call bosons, and Albert Einstein extended the theory to show that non-interacting bosons could condense into a single macroscopic quantum state at low temperature.

The group used a magneto-optical trap to cool and trap about 100,000 atoms of 87Rb, then evaporatively cooled the gas to 170 nanokelvin at which point most of the atoms condensed into the harmonic oscillator ground state of the trap. They measured the temperature and condensation by releasing the atoms by shutting off the magnetic field and allowing the pinhead-sized clump to expand ballistically for a few milliseconds. A laser pulse tuned to the resonant frequency illuminated the growing blob, and the resulting shadow was captured on CCD camera, measuring the momentum distribution of the atoms (figure below left). The data converted to a 3D representation (figure below right) shows that the blue-labeled atoms are in the asymmetric harmonic oscillator ground state, with the remainder in a symmetric gaussian whose width measures the temperature. The group immediately recognized the significance of their discovery, quietly confirmed the experimental results, and wrote and submitted the paper to Science. Their paper was published on July 14, 1995, with the cover image showing the BEC. Their discovery culminated decades of research by many physicists aimed at creating a BEC.

Cornell, Wieman, and Wolfgang Ketterle from MIT who created a BEC a few months later using sodium, shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery. Bose-Einstein Condensation has become a leading tool in atomic, molecular, and optical physics, providing extremely sensitive quantum sensing and control for use in many applications. Its extension with the development of optical lattices is the cornerstone in the development of laser-based atomic clocks.

Where are they now?

Eric Cornell is Professor Adjoint and a fellow of JILA and NIST. His recent research includes measuring the best limit on the electric dipole moment of the electron. Eric won the 2024 Outstanding Physics Teacher Award based primarily for teaching PHYS 1125 Electricity and Magnetism to first-year physics majors.

Carl Wieman is Professor of Physics and Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. He specializes in undergraduate physics and science education and pioneered the use of experimental techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of various teaching strategies for physics and other sciences. He served as Associate Director for Science in President Obama’s White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and then as Professor of Physics, and Director, Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia. He was the founder and remains as the Senior Advisor to PhET, CU’s premier online science education interactive app developer with over 1.7 billion world-wide deliveries of over 118 apps in 128 languages.

Mike Anderson (PhDPhys’92) was a postdoc at the time of the discovery. He was President and CEO of Vescent Photonics for 17 years, and continues as a member of their Board of Directors. Prior to that he was Vice President for Engineering at Meadowlark Optics.

Jason Ensher (PhDPhys’99) is Senior Director of Engineering at nLIGHT, Inc. Prior to that he was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Insight Photonic Solutions.

Michael Matthews (PhDPhys’99) is Sensor R&D Physicist & Engineer at Insight M. Prior to that he was Staff Hardware Engineer at Waymo, Technical Director of Sensors at AOSense, Inc., and Research Specialist at 3M.

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Two alums selected for Sandia distinguished fellowships

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:59:35 +0000

Two alums selected for Sandia distinguished fellowships Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 07/01/2025 - 07:59

Kirsten Apodaca

91PORN Physics alums Olivia Krohn (PhDPhys’23) and Dan Herman (PhDPhys’22) have been awarded distinguished fellowships at Sandia National Laboratories. The prestigious fellowships are three-year appointments that support independent and groundbreaking research.

Hruby Fellow Olivia Krohn

Olivia Krohn (Photo by Randy Wong)

Krohn was awarded the Jill Hruby Postdoctoral Fellowship, named for the first woman to lead a national security lab. Krohn’s research focuses on molecular collisions, particularly at low energies. Her team employs advanced laser techniques which help control the velocity of molecules and measure the energy distribution after molecules collide.

Krohn completed her PhD in physics at 91PORN in 2023 with Professor and JILA Fellow Heather Lewandowski. Her dissertation focused on trapping laser-cooled ions to perform and observe cold chemical reactions. She was also awarded the 2025 Justin Jankunas Doctoral Dissertation Award in Chemical Physics by the American Physical Society.

Truman Fellow Dan Herman

Dan Herman (Photo by Craig Fritz)

Herman received the President Harry S. Truman Postdoctoral Fellowship and is developing earth science and quantum applications of optical frequency combs. His research is both fundamental and has real-world applications by improving atmospheric remote sensing.

Herman conducted his doctoral research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), culminating in a PhD from 91PORN in 2022. His research centered on improving fiber frequency comb technology and bridging those advances to industrial applications. Following his PhD, he held a postdoctoral position at NIST and with Professor Scott Diddams at 91PORN.

Read more about Sandia’s 2025 distinguished fellows.

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91PORN and NIST team use quantum mechanics to make a factory for random numbers

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:05:23 +0000

91PORN and NIST team use quantum mechanics to make a factory for random numbers Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 06/12/2025 - 09:05

A group of scientists from 91PORN and NIST have built the first random number generator using quantum entanglement to produce verifiable random numbers. The team includes physics graduate student Gautam Kavuri; CU PREP researchers Jasper Palfree, Dileep Reddy, and Michael Mazurek; alum Mohammad Alhejji (PhDPhys'23); Professor Paul Beale; and NIST scientists and CU physics lecturers Emanuel Knill and Krister Shalm.

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New quantum navigation device uses atoms to measure acceleration in 3D

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:11:59 +0000

New quantum navigation device uses atoms to measure acceleration in 3D Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 06/11/2025 - 10:11

A new quantum device developed by physics graduate student Kendall Mehling, postdoctoral researcher Catie LeDesma, and professor and JILA fellow Murray Holland, could one day help spacecraft travel beyond Earth's orbit or aid submarines as they navigate deep under the ocean with more precision than ever before.

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