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
While recording, Alex Jahn – who is not only a talented web designer and a great podcast editor but obviously a gifted illustrator – made this drawing of the recording session:
Previous ML4Q&A episodes:
New podcast episode with Annika Kurzmann
We continue to feature some of our experimental physicists. In this episode, we talk to Annika Kurzmann, Junior Principle Investigator at RWTH Aachen and associated member of ML4Q. We discuss her work on optical quantum dots during her PhD and bilayer graphene...
ML4Q&A with Beata Kardynal
We continue to feature some of our experimental physicists. In this episode, we talk to Beata Kardynal, group leader at Forschungszentrum Jülich and at RWTH Aachen. We discuss her career and her training in electronic devices to using these devices to couple to...
ML4Q&A with Rami Barends – tune in our new podcast episode!
ML4Q&A now moves on to feature some of our experimental physicists and we start with Rami Barends, recently appointed head of the Institute for Functional Quantum Systems at Forschungszentrum Jülich and associated member of ML4Q. Chris (postdoc in the Ando...
New podcast episode with Kathrin Dorn
ML4Q&A continues featuring theoretical physicists in ML4Q. In the fourth episode, Federico Grasselli (Postdoc, Bruss group) speaks to Kathrin Dorn, PhD student in the group of Reinhold Egger, head of the Institute for Theoretical Physcs IV in Düsseldorf. They talk...
New podcast episode with Dagmar Bruss
ML4Q&A continues featuring theoretical physicists in ML4Q. In the third episode, Kathrin Dorn (PhD student, Egger group) speaks to Dagmar Bruss, professor at the Institute for Theoretical Physcs III in Düsseldorf. They talk about Dagmar's passion about quantum...
New podcast episode with David Gross
ML4Q&A continues featuring theoretical physicists in ML4Q. In the second episode, Chris Dickel is talking to David Gross, professor in Cologne and vice spokesperson of the ML4Q cluster. David’s research interests lie on the application of rigorous mathematical...