In the podcast’s so far longest episode, Mira and Chris speak to Sebastian Hofferberth about his journey through academia as he literally went from Heidelberg to Harvard, to Stuttgart, then Denmark and finally to Bonn where he became member of ML4Q. We talk about the challenges of this nomadic lifestyle, which almost every longtime academic faces. Of course, Sebastian also explains his work in quantum optics with Rydberg atoms and shares his passion for teaching. He discusses how quantum mechanics (can be) seems non-intuitive at first but can be made more approachable.
Listen to the full podcast episode with Sebastian here or using your podcatcher. You can also download the transcript of the episode here.
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:00 Welcome Sebastian
00:03:20 Quantum optics between fundamental and applied research
00:06:22 What are Rydberg atoms?
00:10:25 Reflecting on the PhD project
00:14:11 Working as a postdoc with Mikhail Lukin
00:16:55 Balancing work and family
00:23:20 Moving to Denmark for full professorship and reflecting on dual-career challenges
00:38:42 Back to Germany for the last move
00:42:20 Discussing current research and the Rydberg blockade
00:53:48 Working in the new environment of Bonn and ML4Q
00:59:48 What about Rydberg atom quantum computing?
01:16:00 About EIN Quantum NRW and quantum education
Previous ML4Q&A episodes:
A deep dive into Quantum Error Correction with Markus Müller on ML4Q&A
In this episode, Mira and Chris talk with Markus Müller, a member of ML4Q and Professor at RWTH Aachen University and Forschungszentrum Jülich. Markus, an expert in quantum error correction, explains its importance in building large-scale quantum computers. He...
Understanding quantum chaos over a glass of Campari – ML4Q&A with Silvia Pappalardi
In this episode Mira and Chris talk to Silvia Pappalardi, who joined ML4Q as a junior professor in April 2023. Silvia heads the Qhaos group (spelled with a Q) and introduces our listeners to the topic of quantum chaos which might be a bit intimidating for many...
ML4Q&A with Christof Wunderlich on Ion-Trap Quantum Computing
In this episode Chris introduces Mira Sharma, his co-host of the show. Mira is a PhD student at IQI in David DiVincenzo's group. This is their first co-hosted episode, so it is an experiment.For today’s episode Chris and Mira left the cluster bubble on a...
Gláucia Murta guest on ML4Q&A in latest podcast episode
In this episode Chris talks to Gláucia Murta, a postdoc in ML4Q, who won the cluster's Young Investigator Award. They talk about Gláucia’s passion for fundamental questions, device independence and a great outreach project, the podcast O Q Quantico she...
New podcast episode with Julian Schmitt
In the podcast's last episode in 2023, Chris talks to ML4Q member, Julian Schmitt, leader of the junior research group “Quantum fluids of light” at the University of Bonn. Julian recently received an ERC Starting Grant, the ML4Q Independence Grant. In 2022 he...
ML4Q&A with Steven Koester – listen to our first external guest from the Global Quantum Leap program!
We are excited to have our first external guest on the show. Steven Koester, Professor of Nanotechnology in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota, is joining us mainly as the Director of the Global Quantum Leap...