http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/ KITP: Colloquium Series KITP: Colloquium Series en-us © 2009 by the individual authors doug@kitp.ucsb.edu webmaster@kitp.ucsb.edu Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:51:02 -0800 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:51:02 -0800 Education http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 240 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bennett1/ Charles Bennett, IBM (Charles Bennett, IBM) Charles Bennett, IBM http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bennett1/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800 1:15:37 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/yakovenko2/ Victor Yakovenko, Univ. of Maryland (Victor Yakovenko, Univ. of Maryland) Victor Yakovenko, Univ. of Maryland http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/yakovenko2/ Wed, 13 May 2009 14:00:00 -0700 1:09:03 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bruinsma1/ Robijn Bruinsma, UCLA (Robijn Bruinsma, UCLA) Robijn Bruinsma, UCLA http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bruinsma1/ Wed, 06 May 2009 14:00:00 -0700 1:07:06 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/nussinov1/ Zohar Nussinov, Wash Univ.-St. Louis (Zohar Nussinov, Wash Univ.-St. Louis) Zohar Nussinov, Wash Univ.-St. Louis http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/nussinov1/ Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0700 1:05:02 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gupta1/ Rajan Gupta, LANL (Rajan Gupta, LANL) Rajan Gupta, LANL http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gupta1/ Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0800 1:14:16 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bern2/ Zvi Bern, UCLA (Zvi Bern, UCLA) Zvi Bern, UCLA http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bern2/ Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0800 1:03:17 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/atterton1/ Dennis Atterton, J. Kuchera-Morin, L. Putnam, C. Roads, & B. Sturm (Dennis Atterton, J. Kuchera-Morin, L. Putnam, C. Roads, & B. Sturm) Dennis Atterton, J. Kuchera-Morin, L. Putnam, C. Roads, & B. Sturm http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/atterton1/ Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0800 1:10:52 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kardar2/ Mehran Kardar, MIT & KITP (Mehran Kardar, MIT & KITP) Mehran Kardar, MIT & KITP http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kardar2/ Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0700 58:41 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/imry1/ Yoseph Imry, Weizmann Inst. of Science (Yoseph Imry, Weizmann Inst. of Science) Yoseph Imry, Weizmann Inst. of Science http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/imry1/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0700 51:14 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/peliti1/ Luca Peliti, Univ. Federico II (Luca Peliti, Univ. Federico II) Luca Peliti, Univ. Federico II http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/peliti1/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:00:00 -0700 1:08:26 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/socolow1/ Robert Socolow, Princeton Univ. (Robert Socolow, Princeton Univ.) Robert Socolow, Princeton Univ. http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/socolow1/ Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:00:00 -0700 1:16:52 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/awschalom1/ David Awschalom, UCSB (David Awschalom, UCSB) David Awschalom, UCSB http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/awschalom1/ Wed, 21 May 2008 16:00:00 -0700 50:27 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/silverstein1/ Eva Silverstein, Stanford University (Eva Silverstein, Stanford University) Eva Silverstein, Stanford University http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/silverstein1/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0700 59:59 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/rabinovici1/ Eliezer Rabinovici, Hebrew Univ., Racah Inst (Eliezer Rabinovici, Hebrew Univ., Racah Inst) Eliezer Rabinovici, Hebrew Univ., Racah Inst http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/rabinovici1/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:00:00 -0800 1:12:11 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/harnik1/ Roni Harnik, Stanford (Roni Harnik, Stanford) Roni Harnik, Stanford http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/harnik1/ Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:00:00 -0800 55:52 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/hitlin1/ David Hitlin, Caltech (David Hitlin, Caltech) David Hitlin, Caltech http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/hitlin1/ Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:00:00 -0800 1:13:43 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/scalapino1/ Doug Scalapino, UCSB, Physics (Doug Scalapino, UCSB, Physics) Doug Scalapino, UCSB, Physics http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/scalapino1/ Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:06:53 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/dahmen1/ Karin Dahmen, UIUC (Karin Dahmen, UIUC) Karin Dahmen, UIUC http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/dahmen1/ Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:06:05 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/genzel1/ Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck & UC Berkeley (Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck & UC Berkeley) Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck & UC Berkeley http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/genzel1/ Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:15:58 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gonzalez1/ Gabriela Gonzalez, LSU (Gabriela Gonzalez, LSU) Gabriela Gonzalez, LSU http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gonzalez1/ Wed, 30 May 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:09:55 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/militzer1/ Burkhard Militzer, Carnegie Institution of Washington (Burkhard Militzer, Carnegie Institution of Washington) Burkhard Militzer, Carnegie Institution of Washington http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/militzer1/ Wed, 23 May 2007 14:00:00 -0700 53:57 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/pomeau1/ Yves Pomeau, Ecole Normale Sup, Paris (Yves Pomeau, Ecole Normale Sup, Paris) Yves Pomeau, Ecole Normale Sup, Paris http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/pomeau1/ Fri, 04 May 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:01:44 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/vandenheuvel2/ Ed van den Heuvel, University of Amsterdam (Ed van den Heuvel, University of Amsterdam) Ed van den Heuvel, University of Amsterdam http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/vandenheuvel2/ Wed, 02 May 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:05:40 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/tutino1/ Stefania Tutino, UCSB (Stefania Tutino, UCSB) Stefania Tutino, UCSB http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/tutino1/ Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:00:00 -0700 1:04:10 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kulkarni1/ Prof. Shri Kulkarni, Caltech (Prof. Shri Kulkarni, Caltech) Prof. Shri Kulkarni, Caltech http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kulkarni1/ Thu, 07 Dec 2006 14:00:00 -0800 1:04:25 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/johnson1/ George Johnson, KITP Journalist in Residence (George Johnson, KITP Journalist in Residence) George Johnson, KITP Journalist in Residence http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/johnson1/ Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:00:00 -0700 30:42 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/mussardo1/ Prof. Giuseppe Mussardo, SISSA (Prof. Giuseppe Mussardo, SISSA) Prof. Giuseppe Mussardo, SISSA http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/mussardo1/ Wed, 20 Sep 2006 14:00:00 -0700 1:08:31 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/parsegian1/ Adrian Parsegian, NIH & KITP (Dr. Adrian Parsegian, NIH & KITP) Dr. Adrian Parsegian, NIH & KITP http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/parsegian1/ Wed, 24 May 2006 14:00:00 -0700 56:49 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/hamilton1/ Andrew Hamilton, University Colorado (Dr. Andrew Hamilton, University Colorado) Dr. Andrew Hamilton, University Colorado http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/hamilton1/ Wed, 17 May 2006 14:00:00 -0700 1:03:35 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/rice2/ Bill Rice, UCSB (Dr. Bill Rice, UCSB) Dr. Bill Rice, UCSB http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/rice2/ Wed, 10 May 2006 14:00:00 -0700 1:02:47 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/mehra1/ Rajnish Mehra, UCSB & National Bureau of Economic Research (Dr. Rajnish Mehra, UCSB & National Bureau of Economic Research) Dr. Rajnish Mehra, UCSB & National Bureau of Economic Research http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/mehra1/ Wed, 03 May 2006 14:00:00 -0700 1:19:09 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/vandenheuvel1/ Ed van den Heuvel, Universiteit van Amsterdam (Dr. Ed van den Heuvel, Universiteit van Amsterdam) Dr. Ed van den Heuvel, Universiteit van Amsterdam http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/vandenheuvel1/ Wed, 12 Apr 2006 14:00:00 -0700 1:01:32 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gregory1/ Ruth Gregory, University of Durham (Dr. Ruth Gregory, University of Durham) Dr. Ruth Gregory, University of Durham http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/gregory1/ Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:00:00 -0800 1:04:02 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/morrison2/ David Morrison, Duke University (Dr. David Morrison, Duke University) Dr. David Morrison, Duke University Dr. David Morrison, Duke University Dr. David Morrison, Duke University (Wed, 08 Feb 2006 14:00) Abstract: An equilibrium point of a physical system may be metastable rather than stable; in this case, a suitable triggering event may cause the system to leave equilibrium and find a new equilibrium point, typically at a lower energy. This can even happen for the vacuum state of spacetime, if there are fields with nonzero vacuum energy density. The study of such vacuum decays is important in cosmology (where it is related to inflation) and in string theory (where it is related to supersymmetry breaking). We study some models, introduced by Adams, Polchinski and Silverstein, for the decay of false vacua in string compactifications. Getting a handle on both the evolution of spacetime and the end-product of the decay involves some sophisticated tools from a branch of mathematics -- algebraic geometry -- in all but the simplest cases. We will describe both the methods and results of this study, in terms designed to be accessible to a wide audience. http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/morrison2/ Wed, 08 Feb 2006 14:00:00 -0800 1:04:28 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/albrecht1/ Andreas Albrecht, UC Davis (Dr. Andreas Albrecht, UC Davis) Dr. Andreas Albrecht, UC Davis Dr. Andreas Albrecht, UC Davis Dr. Andreas Albrecht, UC Davis (Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:00) The discovery of cosmic acceleration has generated tremendous excitement among researchers in fundamental physics and cosmology. Most experts agree that nothing short of a revolution will be required to fully integrate the observed cosmic acceleration (which many attribute to a mysterious "dark energy") with established physics. Currently this discovery is driving very exciting research in both the theoretical and observational domain. I will present two of these topics that particularly interest me: 1. Dark Energy and Cosmic Equilibrium: How a cosmological constant could make the universe look like a box of gas (and what this could mean for cosmology). 2. Probes of Dark Energy: A host of new probes promise to tell us more about dark energy, but what do we really want to know? http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/albrecht1/ Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:00:00 -0800 1:04:36 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kitaev1/ Alexei Kitaev, KITP & Microsoft (Dr. Alexei Kitaev, KITP & Microsoft) Dr. Alexei Kitaev, KITP & Microsoft Dr. Alexei Kitaev, KITP & Microsoft Dr. Alexei Kitaev, KITP & Microsoft (Wed, 09 Nov 2005 14:00) I will describe a particular spin model on a two-dimensional lattice, which exhibits topological order, chiral edge states, "weak symmetry breaking" and other interesting properties, providing a lot of insight into the general nature of these phenomena. The Hamiltonian can be diagonalized exactly by a reduction to free fermions in a static $Z_2$ gauge field. The system has two phases, one of which is gapped and carries Abelian anyons. The other phase is gapless, but acquires a gap in the presence of magnetic field, in which case excitations are non-Abelian anyons. I will also discuss a general theory of free fermions with a gapped spectrum characterized by a spectral Chern number $\nu$. The Abelian and non-Abelian phases of the original model correspond to $\nu=0$ and $\nu=\pm 1$, respectively. The anyonic properties of excitation depend on $\nu\bmod 16$, whereas $\nu$ itself governs edge thermal transport. See http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0506438 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/kitaev1/ Wed, 09 Nov 2005 14:00:00 -0800 1:04:53 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bjorken1/ James Bjorken, Stanford (Dr. James Bjorken, Stanford) Dr. James Bjorken, Stanford http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/bjorken1/ Wed, 26 Oct 2005 14:00:00 -0700 1:30:29 http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/morrison1/ Dave Morrison, KITP & Duke University (Dr. Dave Morrison, KITP & Duke University) Dr. Dave Morrison, KITP & Duke University Dr. Dave Morrison, KITP & Duke University Dr. Dave Morrison, KITP & Duke University (Wed, 14 Sep 2005 14:00) Mathematics is often called the language of science, yet mathematics -- like a natural language -- is constantly evolving. (Note that Newton had to found an entirely new branch of mathematics in order to describe the physics of motion.) Most of the mathematics which is part of the standard physics curriculum today is from the 19th century or earlier. Is 19th century mathematics adequate for 21st century physics? I believe that it is not, and will give examples drawn from condensed matter as well as high energy theory. http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/colloq/morrison1/ Wed, 14 Sep 2005 14:00:00 -0700 57:11