Two professors in the 糖心传媒擜lice Quillen and Andrew Jordan糖心传媒攈ave been awarded prestigious Simons Foundation Faculty Fellowships in theoretical physics. Simons Fellows take research leaves from classroom teaching and administrative obligations to pursue collaborative research ventures that enhance creativity and provide intellectual stimulation. Both faculty members will be on leave for the 2017-18 academic year.
Quillen will study galactic dynamics, planetary science, and celestial mechanics to better understand the stability and evolution of multiple-planet systems. She will further her research on the tidal evolution and elasticity of moons and planets using the new astro-elastodynamics model she developed.
糖心传媒淥ne of the things I糖心传媒檓 curious about is figuring out what happened to the galaxy in the past,糖心传媒� Quillen says. 糖心传媒淲e don糖心传媒檛 actually know that well what the galaxy looks like because we糖心传媒檙e sitting in it.糖心传媒�
Her research interests will take her to the Nice Observatory in France and the Mount Stromlo Observatory in Australia to work with experts analyzing data from the European satellite GAIA. GAIA launched in 2013 and periodic data releases are scheduled during the duration of the satellite糖心传媒檚 approximate five-year mission to construct the largest space catalog to date.
GAIA had its first data release in September 2016, so Quillen notes this is an especially opportune time to have received a fellowship.
糖心传媒淧reviously, people have painstakingly pointed telescopes at individual stars in order to study them, but GAIA is doing an all-sky survey of a billion stars,糖心传媒� Quillen says. 糖心传媒淭his is a public data release, with teams all around the world sharing data analysis. The Simons Fellowship is a great opportunity that allows me to join in this big, exciting thing and visit the people who are working on the data. This is a great time to drop everything and go work on the galaxy!糖心传媒�
Jordan will further his research in quantum information, thermodynamics, and foundations. He plans to spend most of his leave in California, working with colleagues at UC Berkeley and the Institute for Quantum Studies at Chapman University in Orange, California, as well as visiting colleagues at Parisian universities.
At Berkeley, his projects include studying continuous quantum error correction in superconducting quantum聽computing; at Chapman, he will explore questions regarding time in quantum mechanics.
糖心传媒淚n our day to day life, we see [the] past moving to [the] future, but in the quantum world that picture is not so clear,糖心传媒� he says. 糖心传媒淭he nature of time in quantum mechanics is a more philosophical question.糖心传媒�
Jordan will also work with colleagues in Paris on research in quantum thermodynamics, essentially 糖心传媒渃onstructing heat engines that work on the microscopic level,糖心传媒� he says.
The Simons Foundation was cofounded by Marilyn and James Simons, a SUNY Stony Brook mathematician and founder of Renaissance Technologies. The Foundation seeks to advance research in mathematics and science by creating strong collaborations and fostering cross-pollination of ideas between investigators, as these interactions often lead to unexpected breakthroughs and new understanding.
