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Master your Physics

→ Europe/Zurich
Virtual Conference Only (UvA)
Amanda van Hemert, Lizzy Rieth, Marcel I. Yáñez Reyes (University of Amsterdam and NIKHEF.), Pieter van der Hoek, Valerie Bettaque
Description

Welcome to Master Your Physics 2021, an online conference by master's students for master's students! 

During the conference we will discus a wide variety of topics in physics through a wide variety of setups. There will be talks from top-class speakers across institutions from all over the world. We will have discussion sessions on hot topics in physics as well as on social topics. Furthermore, local Ph.D. students will present some of their research, so that master's students can get acquainted with life as a Ph.D. already at an early stage in their careers. The conference will take place from June 14-18 2021.

Join us at:
https://zoom.us/j/94131753632?pwd=KzRkcFBXN1pBNlZlTE8xMngxWG5Ddz09
Meeting ID: 941 3175 3632
Passcode: 140621
 

Talks
We scheduled 2 hours for each talk, these consist of:
- 45 min. presentation
- 15 min. questions
- up to one hour unrecorded discussion regarding the talk (local staff is cordially invited!)
Exceptions for this scheme are the talks by Gideon Koekoek and Stefan Hild (Thursday at 10:00), these will be held one after another. Thereafter, there is up to one hour for discussions as well. 
During presentations everyone should feel free to ask questions using the "raise hand" button in zoom, unless the speaker or moderator objects. However, we would kindly like to ask the audience to keep in mind that talks are primarily aimed at master's students. 

Discussion Sessions
We have two discussion sessions on big questions and broad topics in physics:
- On Monday at 19:00, we will have a philosophically flavored debate on the interpretation of quantum mechanics. 
- On Friday at 17:00, we will face climate change and discuss the future of energy.
During those sessions a panel of experts will give their opinion on the matter  and provide some illuminating conversations. The sessions will take at most 2 hours. The audience is of course welcome to ask questions. 

Conversations on... (Amsterdam only)
Not directly related to physics, but very relevant for physicists, we host two interactive sessions on social topics:
- On Tuesday at 19:00, we will discuss the negative correlation between academic level and the number of women in physics, called "the Leaky Pipeline."
- On Thursday at 19:00, we will talk about mental health for young physicists during their master's or Ph.D.'s.
We invited very knowledgeable panelists do discuss these topics with the audience. Due to the confidential nature of these sessions, we decided to not record them and only invite Amsterdam students and staff. People who show up late, will not be allowed to enter the room. 

Ph.D. sessions
Last but not least, we will host six sessions for master's students to get acquainted with some of the most exciting research in Amsterdam. These consist of:
- 3 research related presentations by Ph.D.'s (20 min. talk + 10 min. questions)
- Up to 30 minutes time for informal conversations about life as Ph.D.
We will host Ph.D. sessions for research related to:
- Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics (Tuesday at 12:00)
- Advanced Matter and Energy Physics (Tuesday at 14:00)
- Biophysics & Biophotonics (Wednesday at 14:00)
- Science for Energy & Sustainability (Wednesday at 16:00)
- Theoretical Physics (Thursday at 14:00)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics (Friday at 12:30)

Interaction time
Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town between sessions and let's talk physics!

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Confirmed Speakers:
Danielle Bassett - Rick van Bijnen -  Robbert Dijkgraaf - Francisco Förster - Wiliam Gracias - Stefan Hild - Gideon Koekoek - Teresa Montaruli - Carlo Rovelli - Leonard Susskind - Jesse Thaler - David Tong - Jan Zaanen - Jun Zhu 

Confirmed Panelists:
Valerie Bettaque - Mailis Birsak - Alessandra Candian - Raoul Frese - Machiel Keestra - Joost van Mameren - Jan van Marseveen - F.A. Muller - Katerina Newell - Carlo Rovelli - Jan Pieter van der Schaar - Sebastian Hendrik Sterl - Evita Verheijden - Jasper van Wezel 

Confirmed Ph.D.'s:
Uddipta Bhardwaj - Devarshi Choudhury - Annelotte Derkink - Carlos Duaso Pueyo - Peter Gaemers - Ruben Hamans - Jans Henke - Laura van Huizen - Bouke Jung - Cyrian Leriche - Anna Meijering - Nico Schramma - Margherita Vaselli - Evita Verheijden - Rico Visser 

Schedule:
The schedule can be found under the Timetable tab. All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).

Recordings, links and relevant material:
Please note that no session will be recorded! Links and all relevant material can be found by clicking on the top-right corner of a session in the timetable. 

Organizers: 
V. Bettaque, S. Calo, S. Gotur,  A. van Hemert, P. van der Hoek, L. Rieth, M. Yañez Reyes

Facebook
Gather Town
Poster
Poster Friday
Poster Monday
Poster Thursday
Poster Tuesday
Poster Wednesday
Slack
Contact
  • Monday, 14 June
    • 14:45 → 15:00
      Opening Ceremony 15m
      Speaker: Jasper van Wezel
    • 15:00 → 17:00
      Quantum Gravity, where are we? 2h

      Recent (and forthcoming) empirical evidence helps us focus quantum gravity research.
      Loop quantum gravity is a concrete possibility for a theoretical description of quantum spacetime.
      I discuss its ideas, results and open issues and the perspectives to connect it to observation.

      Speaker: Carlo Rovelli
    • 17:00 → 19:00
      The Universe in a Stream: Challenges and Progress of the ALeRCE Broker 2h

      A new generation of large aperture and large field of view telescopes is allowing us to explore large volumes of the Universe in an unprecedented fashion. This has led to the discovery of new populations of astrophysical events or new phases of evolution of known objects. In order to take advantage of these new telescopes a new time domain ecosystem is developing. Among the tools required for this new ecosystem are fast machine learning aided discovery and classification algorithms, interoperable tools that allow for an effective communication between brokers and follow-up telescopes for rapid reaction, and new models and tools to extract the most physical knowledge from these observations. In this talk I will review the challenges and progress of building one of these systems: the Automatic Learning for the Rapid Classification of Events (ALeRCE) astronomical alert broker. ALeRCE (http://alerce.science/) is a new alert annotation and classification system led by an interdisciplinary and interinstitutional group of scientists from Chile and the US. ALeRCE is focused around different scientific cases: stellar explosions, variable stars, supermassive black holes, and asteroids. I will discuss some of the challenges associated with the problem of alert classification, including the ingestion, annotation, database management, training set building, distributed processing, machine learning classification and visualization, or the challenges of working in large interdisciplinary teams. I will show some results based on the real‐time ingestion and classification using the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) alert stream as input, as well as some of the tools available. In about one year of operations we have ingested more than 120 million alerts, classified about 30 million objects based on their images, classified about one million objects based on their light curves, and reported more than 4000 supernova candidates.

      Speaker: Francisco Förster
    • 19:00 → 21:00
      Discussion session: Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics 2h

      In The Messenger Lectures,1964 at MIT, Feymnan said , “ There might have been a time when only one man knew the theory of relativity, because he was the only guy who caught on, before he wrote his paper. But after people read the paper a lot of people understood the theory of relativity in some way or other. On the other hand, I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics. I am going to tell you what nature behaves like. If you will simply admit that maybe she does behave like this, you will find her a delightful, entrancing thing. Do not keep saying to yourself, if you can possibly avoid it, "But how can it be like that?" because you will get 'down the drain', into a blind alley from which nobody has escaped.” Back in 2021, we want to know if it is possible to escape from the blind alley if you do go ‘down the drain’. This is precisely the aim of our panel discussion on “ The Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics”. Masters students, you can finally ask all of your doubts you have had on the nature of the wavefunction to the veteran dragon slayers who have ventured far and deep into these dark dungeons, our panelists for this session.

      Speakers: Carlo Rovelli, F.A. Muller, Jasper van Wezel
  • Tuesday, 15 June
    • 09:00 → 11:00
      ITER – The Way to New Energy 2h

      Fusion is the energy that powers the sun and the stars. Imagine we manage to harness this energy down here on earth – for the benefit of mankind?
      With the ITER project, 35 nations have joined their forces to form the world’s largest International scientific collaboration. It’s goal: to prove that fusion energy is feasible, that we have the knowledge, the technologies and the materials to deliver fusion energy to the grid.

      Speaker: William Gracias
    • 11:00 → 12:00
      Interaction Time 1h

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 12:00 → 14:00
      Ph.D. morning: Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics 2h
      Speakers: Bouke Jung, Peter Gaemers, Uddipta Bhardwaj
      Zoom link
      • Picturing the standard model ghost: Constraining neutrino masses from abyssal depths. 30m

        The discovery that neutrinos oscillate and therefore have non-zero masses forms one of the few tangible hints for physics beyond the canonical standard model of particle physics. This presentation highlights two experiments which aim to lift the veil on the origin and the hierarchy of neutrino masses, respectively: KamLAND-Zen and KM3NeT. After giving a general overview of the experiments and their physics goals, I will show a couple of concrete examples of the work that I performed as a student.

        Speaker: Bouke Jung
      • XENONs Hunt for Dark Matter 30m

        The XENON experiments have been operating for almost two decades looking for a signature from dark matter.
        In my talk I will give a brief overview of why we are actually looking for dark matter, what we think it is and how we plan to find it.

        Speaker: Peter Gaemers
      • Radio follow-up of gravitational wave events. 30m

        An overview of the GW detections and the physics involved. Radio emission associated with gravitational wave events and the importance of joint characterization (GW+EM) of such events.

        Speaker: Uddipta Bhardwaj
    • 14:00 → 16:00
      Ph.D. afternoon: Advanced Matter and Energy Physics 2h
      Speakers: Cyrian Leriche, Jans Henke, Nico Schramma
      Zoom link
      • On The multi-scale Physics of Bioluminescence: From single Cells to glowing Oceans. 30m

        Bioluminescence in the sea is a very old phenomenon of light-production by biological organisms or animals. Associated with it are many fairy tales and early observations dating back thousands of years. This light production occurs in single cells, fireflies, bacteria, jellyfish or even sharks and the chemical mechanisms for light production have been de-mystified years ago. However, some cells seem to only emit light, when they are mechanically perturbed as a type of defence mechanism. These marine algae are especially known for annual red-tides by spreading to large populations and creating magnificent light in breaking waves at the shore. In a multi-scale approach we aim to understand the translation of mechanical forces to light, starting from single cells with a dynamical systems perspective, on a larger scale by using well-defined geometries to study fluid-structure interaction of biological cells and even creating the bioluminescent waves in our laboratory to study the impact of turbulent flow fields on the light production of algae. Based on our research we do not only hope to contribute to a better understanding of mechanical sensing, which is also used in very different essential contexts like hearing of sound waves, embryo development or our touch-sensation, but also pave the way towards industrial application such as using cells as stress-sensors in flow fields.

        Speaker: Nico Schramma
      • Mild wear at multi-asperity interfaces: the role of contact pressure 30m

        The description of wear resulting from frictional contact is largely empirical as the length scales at which the underlying physical and chemical phenomena occur are too diverse for one model to be applied. Plastic deformation, fracture and “atom-by-atom” removal constitute the main wear mechanisms that have been observed in sub-microscale wear experiments. Recent experiments established –based on a stress augmented thermal reaction model– that for single asperity Si-on-diamond interfaces atom-by-atom wear (i.e. the atom removal rate) increases exponentially with the local contact stress. The aim of this project is to study the link between the local contact pressure exerted at a multi-asperity interface and the wear that occurs at such an interface when it is subjected to non-repeated sliding. Here, we manipulate and quantify the contact pressures at multi-asperity interfaces, and use an AFM-based wear volume measurement technique to quantify wear volumes at the asperity level for multi-asperity contacts. The contact pressure and wear analysis are coupled to non-repeated friction experiments in order to link contact pressure and wear.

        Speaker: Cyrian Leriche
    • 16:00 → 17:00
      Interaction Time 1h

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 17:00 → 19:00
      Artificial Intelligence and High-Energy Physics 2h

      Recent advances in artificial intelligence have had an outsized impact on many scientific fields, and high-energy physics is no exception. What is special about high-energy physics, though, is the vast amount of theoretical and experimental knowledge that we already have about many problems in the field. In this talk, I draw on examples from collider phenomenology and quantum chromodynamics to highlight the fascinating interplay between theoretical principles and machine learning strategies.

      Speaker: Jesse Thaler
      jthaler_2021_06_Amsterdam_Master.pdf
      Zoom link
    • 19:00 → 21:00
      Conversations on the Leaky Pipeline (Amsterdam only) 2h

      In many professional areas, a career pathway can be pictured as a pipeline. In science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), this pipeline is leaking. Minority groups and women are less represented at every higher level of academia. Unfortunately, the FNWI is no exception to this, but the situation is improving!

      Together with our knowledgeable panel, we will address the topic along the lines of gender diversity in physics. We will talk about:
      - Why diversity is important
      - What are the major causes for a lack of gender diversity in physics at increasingly higher levels of academia
      - What solutions do we have and what is already being done

      To approach these sensitive topics with a certain degree of confidentiality, this session will be reserved exclusively for Amsterdam students and staff. Every member of the audience will be asked to respect the code of conduct, laid out at the beginning of the session. Moreover, neither recordings nor late entries will be permitted.

      Speakers: Alessandra Candian, Evita Verheijden, Katerina Newell, Machiel Keestra, Pieter van der Hoek
      Zoom link
  • Wednesday, 16 June
    • 09:00 → 11:00
      Gamma-ray astrophysics in a multi-messenger context 2h

      I will illustrate the relevance of the science of gamma-ray astrophysics and its connection to other messengers. I will explain the principle of detection and illustrate current large research infrastructures and their scientific reach. I will then connect it to other multi-messenger experiments such as IceCube using neutrinos and gravitational wave observations.

      Speaker: Teresa Montaruli
      Master_Montaruli2021.pdf
    • 11:00 → 13:00
      Quantum supreme matter and the strange metals. 2h

      Qauntum supreme matter refers to forms of matter that are densely many-body entangled with the ramification that the quantum supremacy of the quantum computer is required to enumerate the way it works. The evidence is mounting that the AdS/CFT correspondence of the string theorist, augemented by progress with SYK type models, yields a mathematical view on generic properties of such states of matter. Guided by these insights, substantial progress has been made in recognizing various of these traits in experiments on the strange metal states of the high Tc superconductors.

      Speaker: Jan Zaanen
    • 13:00 → 14:00
      Interaction Time 1h

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 14:00 → 16:00
      Ph.D. afternoon: Biophysics & Biophotonics 2h
      Speakers: Anna Meijering, Laura van Huizen, Margherita Vaselli
      • Instant on-site histological feedback on fresh lung tumor tissue using higher harmonic generation microscopy 30m

        For patients with suspected lung cancer, fast and accurate tissue diagnosis is important for optimal treatment allocation. A promising technique for instant tissue analysis is higher harmonic generation (HHG) microscopy, a laser-based imaging technique, that provides real-time images with submicron resolution without the need of tissue processing. The aim of my PhD project is to validate this technique, by bringing the HHG microscope into the hospital. The results so far show that HHG microscopy can instantly identify pathological hallmarks in small bronchoscopic biopsies without the need of tissue processing. This may reduce the need for the number of biopsy samples, and reduce endoscopy time.

        Speaker: Laura van Huizen
      • Endoscopic polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) for in vivo imaging of lungs periphery 30m

        Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway remodeling, which results in the thickening of airway smooth muscle (ASM) . Patients affected by severe asthma may benefit from bronchial thermoplasty (BT), an endoscopic treatment that targets structural airway remodeling and induces ASM reduction . No diagnostic method is currently available to assess ASM mass, other than invasive airway biopsies. Polarization sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) provides tissue-specific contrast by assessing tissue birefringence which enables ASM detection and quantification . We performed in vivo endoscopic PS-OCT imaging in the lungs periphery of three asthma patients before and after undergoing BT. We demonstrated PS-OCT to be a safe and minimally invasive volumetric imaging technique to visualize and quantify ASM in the airway wall. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a significant ASM reduction after BT is shown by PS-OCT and a correlation between ASM mass in biopsies and in vivo PS-OCT images is found.

        Speaker: Margherita Vaselli
      • Nonlinear mechanics of human mitotic chromosomes 30m

        In preparation for mitotic cell division, nuclear DNA is compacted into X-shaped metaphase chromosomes. This dramatic metamorphosis, which is known to require Condensins and Topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A), has been observed using microscopy for over a century, and yet remarkably little is known about the structural organization of condensed human chromosomes. Here, we introduce a novel system to interrogate the structural organization of human chromosomes based on optical manipulation. This allows high-resolution force measurements and fluorescence visualization of native chromosomes to be conducted under tightly controlled experimental conditions. We have used this method to conduct the first extensive characterization of chromosome mechanics. Notably, we find that under increasing mechanical load, chromosomes exhibit nonlinear stiffening behavior, distinct from classical polymer models. To explain this anomalous stiffening, we introduce a Hierarchical Worm-like Chain (HWLC) model describing the chromosome as a heterogeneous assembly of nonlinear WLCs. Moreover, through inducible degradation of TOP2A only after chromosome condensation had occurred, we provide support for a role of TOP2A in the maintenance of a compacted chromosome structure. Taken together, our new approach opens the door to a wide array of new investigations of the structure and dynamics of both healthy and disease-associated chromosomes.

        Speaker: Anna Meijering
    • 16:00 → 17:00
      Ph.D. afternoon: Science for Energy and Sustainability 1h
      Speaker: Ruben Hamans
      • Super-Resolution Mapping of a Chemical Reaction Driven by Plasmonic Near-Fields 30m

        Plasmonic nanoparticles have recently emerged as promising photocatalysts for light-driven chemical conversions. The illumination of these particles results in the generation of highly energetic charge carriers, elevated nanoparticle surface temperatures, and strongly enhanced electric fields around the nanoparticle. Distinguishing between these different physical mechanisms is of paramount importance for the design of future photocatalysts. However, characterizations of chemical reactions mediated by plasmonic effects are often performed at the ensemble level and are consequently plagued by the intrinsic heterogeneity of catalyst particles. Here, we report an in-situ single particle characterization of a chemical reaction driven solely by a plasmonic near-field. By using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, we are able to achieve single turnover temporal resolution and ~30 nm spatial resolution. This sub-particle spatial resolution permits the construction of a clear correlation between the simulated electric field distribution around individual metal nanoparticles and their super-resolved catalytic activity maps. Our results can easily be extended to systems with more complex electric field distributions, such as dimers and plasmonic particle arrays, and can thereby guide the design of future advanced photocatalysts.

        Speaker: Ruben Hamans
    • 17:00 → 19:00
      Are we living in the matrix? 2h

      No. Obviously not. It's a daft question. But, buried beneath this daft question is an extremely interesting one: is it possible to simulate the known laws of physics on a computer? Remarkably, there is a mathematical theorem, due to Nielsen and Ninomiya, that says the answer is no. I'll explain this theorem, the underlying reasons for it, and some recent work attempting to circumvent it.

      Speaker: David Tong
    • 19:00 → 21:00
      The Future of Fundamental Physics (Hosted by Delta ITP) 2h

      The reports of the death of physics are greatly exaggerated. Instead, I would argue, we are living in a golden era and the best is yet to come. Not only did the past decades see some amazing breakthrough discoveries and show us the many unknowns in our current understanding, but more importantly, science in general is moving from studying 'what is’ to 'what could be.’ There will be many more fundamental laws of nature hidden within the endless number of physical systems we could fabricate out of the currently known building blocks. This demands an open mind about the concepts of unity and progress in physics.

      Speaker: Robbert Dijkgraaf
      Check out Delta ITP
  • Thursday, 17 June
    • 10:00 → 13:00
      Gravitational waves and fundamental physics 3h
      Speakers: Gideon Koekoek, Stefan Hild
      Zoom link
      • Unravelling the Mysteries of the Dark Side of the Universe with the Einstein Telescope 1h 30m

        The discoveries of gravitational waves from binary black holes and neutron stars has provided us with a stunning glimpse at an entirely new way to explore our universe. In order to discover new phenomena and better understand the constituents of the Cosmos and the forces driving it, it is vital to improve the sensitivity of future gravitational wave observatories. The planned Einstein Telescope (ET) will be the first one of an entirely new class of gravitational wave observatories, targeting to go beyond the fundamental limits of the current gravitational wave detectors. The talk will cover what new discoveries we can expect to achieve with ET. Also an overview of the design  and the technological challenges of ET will be given, as well as an update of the ET related activities in the Dutch-Belgium-German border region, one of two candidate sites for hosting the Einstein Telescope.

        Speaker: Stefan Hild
      • - 1h 30m

        Since their spectacular first detection in 2015, gravitational waves have been at the forefront of observational physics, and have opened up the era of multi-messenger astronomy in which sources are studied by electromagnetic, neutrino, and gravitational wave emissions. Indeed, the wealth of astrophysical data gathered in the years since, is helping answer many open questions in the areas of astrophysics, black hole physics, fundamental theory, and cosmology.
        In this talk I will give a general how gravitational wave observations are used to study such matters, and then make a selection of these topics to review in more quantitative detail. In particular, I will explain the possibility to do temperature measurements of black holes and magnetic fields by gravitational wave observations, as key examples of ongoing research done with students at Maastricht University.

        Speaker: Gideon Koekoek
    • 13:00 → 14:00
      Interaction Time 1h

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 14:00 → 16:00
      Ph.D. afternoon: Theoretical Physics 2h
      Speakers: Carlos Duaso Pueyo, Evita Verheijden
      Zoom link
      • The cosmological bootstrap 30m

        Reconstructing the physics of the very early universe from current observations is one of the most exciting challenges of theoretical cosmology. In this talk I will tell you about a new approach, the "cosmological bootstrap", that attempts to import some techniques used to study scattering amplitudes and CFTs into the realm of cosmology. This new point of view is helping us bridge the gap between theory and observations and is providing new insights into the physics of inflation and de Sitter space.

        Speaker: Carlos Duaso Pueyo
      • Page curves and the de Sitter horizon 30m

        One of the great puzzles our universe has provided us with is a proper understanding of the cosmological horizon that surrounds any observer within it. To good approximation, we believe our universe can be described by de Sitter space; this maximally symmetric space shows striking similarities with eternal (Anti-de Sitter) black holes. In this talk, I will discuss how we can apply recent insights on the Black Hole Information Problem to gain a better understanding of the entropy of the de Sitter horizon.

        Speaker: Evita Verheijden
    • 16:00 → 17:00
      Interaction time 1h

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 17:00 → 19:00
      Topological valleytronics in bilayer graphene 2h

      The valley isospin degrees of freedom in 2D hexagonal lattices offers a pathway to explore many-body ground states and novel paradigms of electronic applications. It is analogous to electron spin however coupling to an electric field offers a powerful control knob that is nimble and compatible with many device architectures. In this talk, I will describe how we create valley-momentum locked topological 1D channels in Bernal stacked bilayer graphene by electrically generating inverted band structures. This all-electric construction gives us the ability to realize reconfigurable ballistic waveguides and device operations that explicitly explore the valley-momentum locking of the 1D channels. I will show the working of a topological valley valve, which does not require valley-polarized current to operate but relies on the control of topology, and a continuously tunable electron beam splitter. Time permitting I will touch upon a few recent development in our lab where new physics emerges from exploring the valley isospin in the fractional quantum Hall effect.

      Speaker: Jun Zhu
      Zoom link
    • 19:00 → 21:00
      Conversations on a Healthy Work Environment (Amsterdam only) 2h

      Despite many students and academics experiencing issues related to mental health at some point during their career, few people dare to open up about their struggles. As a consequence of this stigma, some people hesitate to actively seek the help they might need - even though the FNWI offers an extensive support system.
      Together with our panel, we will try to lead an open and honest conversation about common mental health issues in academia. Our ultimate goal will be to de-stigmatise the topic of mental health and to foster a healthier work environment among students and staff. In particular, we will talk about:

      • High Performance Pressure & Work-Life-Balance
      • Coping with Learning Differences and Difficulties
      • Effects of the Covid Pandemic on Learning and Mental Health

      To approach these sensitive topics with a certain degree of confidentiality, this session will be reserved exclusively for Amsterdam students and staff. Every member of the audience will be asked to respect the code of conduct, laid out at the beginning of the session. Moreover, neither recordings nor late entries will be permitted.

      Speakers: Jan Pieter van der Schaar, Joost van Mameren, Lizzy Rieth, Mailis Birsak, Valerie Bettaque
      Zoom link
  • Friday, 18 June
    • 09:00 → 11:00
      Variational Quantum Simulation 2h

      Key properties of condensed matter systems, such as for instance the occurrence of high-temperature superconductivity, are governed deep down by fundamental quantum effects such as superposition, interference and entanglement. Likewise, molecular structure calculations that could help explain and understand chemical reaction rates (with tremendous industrial impact) also require a full quantum description.

      However, the complexity of simulating quantum systems notoriously scales exponentially with the number of elementary constituents. A possible solution to this problem is quantum simulation: use one quantum system, to simulate another. A well-controlled quantum system is built in the laboratory that mimics the system under study. The hope is that such devices can open up unexplored territory outside the reach of classical numerical simulations, and provide new insights into quantum matter.

      In this talk we discuss experimental quantum simulation (and quantum computation) platforms built from ultracold atoms and ions. We will discuss an example of a current research direction of variational quantum simulation, where a computer is hooked up to a quantum experiment and in a feedback loop attempts to variationally create interesting quantum states.

      Speaker: Rick van Bijnen
      Zoom link
    • 11:00 → 12:30
      Interaction Time 1h 30m

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 12:30 → 14:30
      Ph.D. afternoon: Astronomy and Astrophysics 2h
      Speakers: Annelotte Derkink, Devarshi Choudhury, Rico Visser
      Applying for PhD positions in Astronomy - Google Docs.pdf
      • Prograde spin accumulation during cloud collapse 30m

        From the smallest to largest scales of the observable universe objects tend to spin around their axis. For small asteroids, collisional fragments from the early disk the spin axis distribution is randomized leaving little trace of their primordial spin state. Larger asteroidsand planetary bodies however are observed to have a remarkable preference for a prograde spin axis orientation, i.e. a spin direction aligned to the orbital direction aroundthe star.

        Many studies reveal that this strong prograde rotation preference is also present in molecular clouds (Phillips 1999), dark halos (Lee & Pen 2001; Faltenbacher et al. 2002;
        Bailin & Stein-metz 2005). and galaxies (Kashikawa & Okamura 1992; Trujillo et al. 2006). The intriguing correlation of spin orientations of objects with their parent structure hint
        toward a universal common consequence arising from their formation history.

        We present a new mechanism that naturally provides preferentially prograde angular momentum in collapsing clouds. In a general fashion, both mathematically and
        numerically, we show that bound collapsing clouds in orbit around a central source undergo an inward center of mass shift toward the central source before the collapse finalizes. The loss of orbital angular momentum in this process converts to excess spin angular momentum with a strong prograde preference, resulting predominantly in the formation of (un)equal mass binary systems. The plethora of spin configurations naturally resulting from the collapse could possibly explain the trend in systematic angular momentum observed, from asteroids to galactic structures.

        Speaker: Rico Visser (& Marc Brouwers)
      • Variability as a diagnostic tool in massive young stellar objects 30m

        For the first time, we have detected (optical) spectral variability in massive Young Stellar Objects (mYSOs), in their spectral lines originating in their circumstellar disks remnant of their formation. It is not known how massive stars form, either as singles or in binaries, and the observed variability (amplitude, velocity range, timescale) is key to better understand the physical origin of the emission lines, and thus the formation process. This information can be used to map the disk morphology, to identify changes in the disk structure, and to
        study the accretion process. Characterising the incident rate and extent of variability as well as a timescale associated with this behaviour would be a first step toward systematic spectral variability studies of mYSOs. Our final aim is to better understand the formation process of massive stars. These stars play an important role in shaping the Galaxy, producing supernovae and gamma-ray bursts, and in the chemical evolution of the Universe.

        Speaker: Annelotte Derkink
      • Probing Neutron Star Interiors via Pulse Profile Modelling 30m

        Neutron stars are the densest directly observable objects in the Universe with physical conditions that cannot be replicated byexperiments on Earth, thus serving as extremephysical laboratories. A major open question surrounding neutron stars aretheircorecomposition. The microphysics in the interior of a neutron star can be diagnosed viathe Equation of State (EOS)which is a relation between the macrophysical quantities of pressure and density. Many different EOS models have beenproposed butnone have been observationally confirmed to date. The EOS of a neutron star can beconstrained by precisestatistical measurements of its mass and radius, which can besimultaneously inferred using the novel technique of Pulse Profile Modelling(PPM) of X-ray spectral-timingevent data. PPM involves relativistic ray-tracing of the thermal X-ray emission originating from hot regions on the stellar surface. The Neutron Star Interior CompositionExplorer (NICER) space telescopewas launched with the purpose of acquiring datasuitable for PPM. In thistalk, I shall detail the PPM process, the NICER targets being analysed, highlight the current results and ongoing research, and the scope of future ofthe field.

        Speaker: Devarshi Choudhury
    • 14:30 → 15:00
      Interaction Time 30m

      Join us on our online spaceship in Gather Town and let's talk physics!

      Gather Town
    • 15:00 → 17:00
      Thermodynamics of the human mind 2h

      Humans learn not only disconnected bits of information, but complex interconnected networks of relational knowledge. The capacity for such learning naturally depends on the architecture of the knowledge network itself. I will describe recent work assessing network constraints on the learnability of relational knowledge, and a free energy model (drawing on principles of thermodynamics) that offers an explanation for such constraints. I will then broaden the discussion to the generic manner in which humans communicate using systems of interconnected stimuli or concepts, from language and music, to literature and science.

      Speaker: Danielle Bassett
    • 17:00 → 19:00
      Discussion Session: The Future of Energy 2h

      The climate emergency is, without a doubt, THE challenge of our generation. The only way to overcome this issue is through a revolution: a shift in the collective mindset. For this revolution to happen, we need to exchange new ideas and excite young minds to stand up to the challenge.
      This is exactly the aim of our panel discussion on “The future of energy”, where we will discuss the current status on sustainability and we will address several crucial topics ranging from the physics of new energy sources to the role of education in a sustainable society.

      Speakers: Jan van Marseveen, Raoul Frese, Sebastian Hendrik Sterl
      Zoom link
    • 19:00 → 21:00
      Entanglement, Complexity, and Spacetime 2h

      The two things that make quantum physics so different from classical physics are the phenomenon of entanglement and a vastly larger capacity for complexity. Both of these play a profound role in understanding how smooth large-scale spacetime emerges from the principles of quantum mechanics. I'll explain what these connections mean and how they were discovered.

      Speaker: Leonard Susskind
      Zoom link
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