Title: From Magnets to Memories: The Physics Behind Neural Networks Abstract: Many physicists were surprised when John Hopfield won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on biological neural networks. In this talk, I will argue that the award was completely deserved. Along the way, we will learn about physicists think about neurons and brains, and how the mathematics underlying magnets can be used to understand phenomena as complex as memory, sleep, and artificial intelligence. Bio: A physicist and active researcher, Krishna studied physics at Princeton before earning his PhD in physics at UCLA, where he focused on the intersection of physics and the life sciences. He has been published in Nature and Nature Neuroscience and continues to publish today. Born in Odisha, India, and raised in Udaipur, Rajasthan, he spent a year in Huntsville, Alabama before settling in Los Angeles.

Title: Laboratory Astrophysics with Laser-Driven Plasmas Abstract: Plasmas make up 99% of the visible universe and play an integral role in a wide range of astrophysical systems. Within these systems, collisionless shocks and magnetic reconnection are two fundamental plasma processes for converting kinetic and magnetic energy into heat and highly-energized particles, including cosmic rays. These processes are observed throughout the cosmos, from coronal mass ejections and Earth’s magnetosphere to supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. While shocks and reconnection have been studied for decades by spacecraft, telescopes, and numerical simulations, there still remain key fundamental questions about the physics that govern these processes. Recent advances in high-energy lasers now allow experimentalists to simulate astrophysically-relevant phenomena in the laboratory using laser-driven plasmas, opening a new domain for understanding plasma astrophysics. In this talk, I will discuss how laser-plasma experiments can be used to study astrophysically-relevant shocks and reconnection, leveraging a range of experimental facilities from the Large Plasma Device at UCLA to the largest laser systems in the world. Bio: Dr. Schaeffer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at UCLA. He did his postdoc at Princeton University and received a Ph.D. from UCLA and a B.A. from Cornell University.  He is the recipient of a 2023 Department of Energy Early Career Research award, and in 2026 he was selected as a Cottrell Scholar and a Frontiers of Science Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on experiments and numerical simulations of strongly-driven magnetized plasma interactions relevant to laboratory astrophysics and magnetized high-energy-density (HED) physics, with applications to astrophysical phenomena, particle acceleration, inertial fusion energy, and novel diagnostic techniques.  Major interests include magnetized collisionless shocks, magnetic reconnection, and ion-scale "mini" magnetospheres, all of which are commonly observed in heliospheric and astrophysical settings.  He conducts experiments on these phenomena at a variety of facilities, including the Omega laser facility at the University of Rochester, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Z Machine at Sandia National Laboratories, and the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA, and specializes in optical, x-ray, and particle diagnostics.

Title: Hunting for Dark-Matter in a Low-Background Universe Abstract: To detect the universe's most elusive puzzle, dark matter, next-generation experiments like the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) detector must operate in absolute, low-background silence. Supporting dark matter detection efforts within Professor Alvine Kamaha’s Astroparticle Lab at UCLA, our research focuses on environmental monitoring to eliminate radioactive radon gas interference, which can mimic dark matter signals. In this talk, I will discuss my hands-on work with these systems, including operating and testing the RAD7 radon detector and DRYSTIK system, collecting and analyzing environmental data through CAPTURE software, and writing custom Python code to retrieve data offline. Ultimately, this work outlines how we improve data collection and environmental monitoring methods, ensuring instruments remain sensitive enough to capture the rarest particles in the cosmos. Bio: Riddhi Shedge is an astrophysics major at UCLA conducting research in Professor Alvine Kamaha’s Astroparticle Physics Laboratory, where she writes Python code and analyzes environmental data for LUX–ZEPLIN dark matter detection systems. Her previous research experience includes analyzing stellar spectra, constructing Andromeda Galaxy rotation curves, and tracking asteroid orbits through programs including Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA), the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) at UC Irvine, and the Summer Science Program (SSP) at University of North Carolina (UNC). Additionally, she was a top scorer in the US Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad (Top 15%) and a finalist in the International Astronomy & Astrophysics Competition. Her extracurricular background includes serving as founder and president of Monta Vista High School's Astronomy Club and Space Odyssey, an organization providing K–6 astronomy workshops across multiple states. Additionally, she captained her school's first all-girls Science Bowl team, served as president of the Bay Area Youth Toastmasters, and ranked in the top 50 in California for Original Oratory, repeatedly qualifying for national speech tournaments.

Title: Engineering Quantum Hardware: Designing Qubits that Suppress Noise Abstract: In order to realize the promise of quantum computing, we need to create real physical hardware that can perform quantum algorithms. I will discuss various quantum hardware platforms and how researchers are working to improve them. Bio: Eli Levenson-Falk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy with a joint appointment in the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer engineering. He received his A.B. in Physics from Harvard University in 2008, his M.A. in physics from UC Berkeley in 2010, and his PhD in Physics from UC Berkeley in 2013 while working in Prof. Irfan Siddiqi's Quantum Nanoelectronics Laboratory. He conducted postdoctoral research in the Kapitulnik lab at Stanford university from 2013 until 2017. His research focuses on using superconducting electrical circuits to form qubits, ultra-low-noise amplifiers, quasiparticle and photon detectors, and other quantum information devices. They are used for quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum sensing, and to study the foundations of quantum mechanics. Current specific research topics include error suppression using dynamical decoupling and engineered dissipation, designing novel error-protected qubits, weak measurement feedback experiments, and studying quasiparticles in superconducting circuits.

Title: Interactions and Disorder in Topological Quantum Systems Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss how imperfections and interactions affect topological quantum systems — materials and devices whose unusual properties are protected by fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. I will explain how disorder (such as impurities or defects) and interactions between particles can both modify and eventually destroy these special quantum phases. Before that breakdown occurs, topological systems can develop striking features, including unusual surface states and collective excitations that can serve as experimental signatures of topology. Although topological phases are often remarkably robust, there are limits to their stability. I will describe how increasing disorder or stronger interactions can gradually alter the electronic properties of these systems and ultimately eliminate their protected surface modes. In many cases, this happens in stages, with more delicate forms of topology disappearing first. Along the way, I will introduce some of the theoretical tools used to study these effects and highlight both universal behaviors shared across many systems and features that depend on the microscopic details of a material. Overall, the talk will provide an accessible overview of how topological quantum phases respond to real-world imperfections and what determines their survival or breakdown. Bio: Stephan Haas was born in Berlin and spent his early years in both Germany and Japan, gaining exposure to diverse cultural and educational environments. He began his academic journey in physics at the Technische Universität Berlin, where he earned his Vordiplom in Physics in 1990. To further his studies, Stephan moved to the United States and completed his Ph.D. in Physics at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University in 1995, focusing on theoretical quantum systems. Following his doctorate, Stephan undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), where he expanded his research into quantum condensed matter physics. In 1998, he joined the faculty at the University of Southern California (USC), where he has been a member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. At USC, Stephan Haas and his research group focus on topics including quantum magnetism, superconductivity, and quantum information theory. Their work investigates microscopic models of interacting quantum systems, employing numerical techniques like Quantum Monte Carlo, Renormalization Group, and Exact Diagonalization to explore phase diagrams, ground states, and dynamical properties. Recently, his research has focused on the effects of interactions and disorder in topological quantum systems.