pontiff | March 1, 2010Summer school:We would like to inform you of the upcoming 10th Canadian Summer School on Quantum Information & Research Workshop.
Save the dates: July 17-30, 2010
Location: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
For more information, visit our website: qi10.ca
Contact us: info [atatat] qi10.ca
This summer school on quantum information marks the 10th anniversary of the highly renowned series. This year the emphasis will be on quantum algorithms and models of quantum computation, with particular attention to mathematical methods. This summer school also includes a research workshop…
pontiff | February 22, 2010The Singularity University is crazy. I like crazy. If I were a grad student with copious time on my hands (trust me, in comparison, you have copious time, dear GradStudent) I'd apply to attend the Singularity University summer school:SU's Graduate Studies Program (GSP) is a 10-week summer program (June 19 through August 28) located at NASA Ames Research Park in Silicon Valley. The program is for top graduate and postgraduate students worldwide to learn about the various exponentially growing cross-disciplinary technologies (biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, artificial…
pontiff | February 18, 2010The twelfth annual SqUINt conference is being held this week and unfortunately I'm missing my favorite conference (though a gaggle of grad students have been sent Santa Fe bound.) The schedule looks really good this year including a great list of invited speakers (Scott Aaronson (MIT), Rainer Blatt (Innsbruck), Matt Hastings (Station Q), Dieter Meschede (Bonn), Keith Schwab (Caltech), and John Watrous (Waterloo)). Notice the awesome mix of theory and experiment...good stuff. Hope everyone who is attending is having a fantastic time: have some green chiles for me please.
pontiff | February 16, 2010It looks like the talks for QIP 2010 are now online.. Sweet, my television for the next few weeks. Well okay the Olympics may sneak in there (and jez NBC really stinks it up: I've never seen a network make men's downhill so boring...if you're going to short the west coast by not showing the events live don't you have a responsibility to at least do a good job? Please, please, Olympic committee let ESPN get the next contract.)
pontiff | February 15, 2010And here I thought I was the king (err Pontiff) of quantum Bacon, but no: follow @kenfagerdotcom on twitter who describes himself as "Inventor of Quantum Bacon and accomplished lover."
pontiff | February 12, 2010In the New York Times today there is an interesting article about Helene Hegemann whose debut novel, "Axolotl Roadkill," drew wide praise. You know this story: turns out that the book contains plagiarized passages (plagiarism: check, sales rising: check.) What I find fascinating about the story, however, is not this rehash of a tried and true marketing tactic, but Ms. Hegemann's defense of herself, summarized in this quote:
"There's no such thing as originality anyway, just authenticity," said Ms. Hegemann in a statement released by her publisher after the scandal broke.
Why do I love this…
pontiff | February 10, 2010Some confusing headlines:Quantum Theory's Release Date Now 'TBA'Quantum Theory Faces Delay Due to Quality ReasonsQuantum Theory Delayed
pontiff | February 4, 2010Anyone tried out MoboMath?MoboMath lets you work with math on a computer exactly as you learned it -- by writing it. MoboMath translates your handwritten math input into a formatted layout that can be used in Microsoft Word, Maple, and many other popular applications.
Instead of struggling with keyboard and palette input, you can create and edit math expressions for technical documents, calculations, presentations, and web pages in your own handwriting. It's fast, simple, and intuitive.
Using a tablet PC or an external tablet, just write your expressions as you normally would with your tablet…
pontiff | February 3, 2010Jorge and Mark send along some Bacon news:
NSFW: Effects of Bacon on Male Performance. Nuff said.
Bacon and Egg Sandwiches are the best. Ruminations
Bacon deserts. Mmm bacon toffee truffles.
pontiff | February 1, 2010Shameless self-promotion: an article I wrote with Wim van Dam, "Recent Progress on Quantum Algorithms" has appeared in the Communications of the ACM. Indeed if you have a copy of the magazine you can check out an artists rendition of a quantum computer/quantum algorithm on the cover. Clearly quantum computing is the new string theory: so abstract that it must be represented by beautiful, yet incomprehensible, figures. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. (The article was actually written quite a bit back, so "recent" is a bit off. If we had to write it today I'm guessing we would…
pontiff | January 29, 2010The University of Waterloo is adding a quantum information graduate program, one step closer to being able to get a Ph.D. purely in quantum information. Application details here. Description of the program below the fold.
About the Program
The University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Institute for Quantum Computing, offers graduate students unique opportunities to learn about and engage in world-leading research in quantum information through a wide range of advanced research projects and advanced courses on the foundations, applications and implementations of quantum information…
pontiff | January 28, 2010Martin passes along information that the quantum group at NEC labs has openings for summer interns:I wanted to let you know that the quantum group at NEC Labs America has openings for 2010 summer internships. If some of your students are interested, please refer them tohttp://www.nec-labs.com/careers/internship.php
A typical duration of a summer internship is three months (end of May-end of August in most cases, but this is quite flexible). The compensation will be competitive with other industrial internships. We will start looking at resumes around February 15.
If you are interested in…
pontiff | January 26, 2010If your work productivity is shaped by the type of pen you are currently using:
pontiff | January 25, 2010An entire world made of bacon and cold cuts (thanks Jorge) "Mmm ... unexplained bacon"
pontiff | January 19, 2010The Shorty Awards have a category called "bacon." Your vote for @dabacon will, I promise, result in a great increase in your pork-based karma. And voting doesn't even clog your arteries!
pontiff | January 18, 2010People I've found who are blogging about QIP:
Physics and Cake
Quantum Moxie
Physics is Informational
Did I miss anyone?
Update: Oh and look photos are already up photogallery for QIP
pontiff | January 18, 2010"Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory" - Emily Post(er)
As a literature major physicist, one of the biggest culture shocks I've encountered when attending theory computer science conferences (STOC and FOCS) is the lack of a poster session at these conferences (or at least the ones I attended, which, truth be told, is not many.) Admittedly, I'm a sucker for free wine, beer, and cheese (or at least a cash bar peoples) and some of my warmest thoughts are of the…
pontiff | January 15, 2010QIP 2010 talks and associated papers if I could find them (amazing how almost all papers for this conference are available, for free, online at one location....also interesting how papers seem to cluster in the 10-12 months of the listings :) ) If anyone has corrections please leave a comment.
Monday
Daniel Gottesman and Sandy IraniThe quantum and classical complexity of translationally invariant tiling and Hamiltonian problemsarXiv:0905.2419
Rahul Jain, Iordanis Kerenidis, Greg Kuperberg, Miklos Santha, Or Sattath, and Shengyu ZhangOn the power of a unique quantum witness arXiv:0906.4425…
pontiff | January 14, 2010Jorge sends along an almost timely piece:The traditional English breakfast is not normally associated with good health.
But scientists have found that eating a plate of bacon and eggs could help pregnant women boost the intelligence of their unborn child.
Women are usually given a list of foods to avoid during pregnancy and it is well documented that a pregnant woman's diet can affect her unborn baby.
Scientists have found that eating a plate of bacon and eggs could help pregnant women boost the intelligence of their unborn child
Does baby Bacon get the benefits by just being a Bacon? (When…