Well today I received my tasking in the name of being a Physicist. Update the website for the Rochester Theory Center. Actually, it's a pretty simple procedure since I have already done many websites for professors in the past. I can make a website in about 4 hours starting from scratch.
It always amazes me how much of a work-a-holic someone is and they don't even about their own website which is the first impression many people receive of them. Thankfully Prof Eberly is quite mindful of this and assign me the responsibility of ensuring everyone who does Theoretical Science has an update bio and CV.
Even better news I will be getting paid!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Cluster Quantum Computation
I just ran across an exciting paper regarding an efficient method of scaling quantum computers.
Admittedly I have never even heard of repeat until success (RUS) quantum computation. I will try to give this a good reading and report my opinion shortly.
http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/0508218
Admittedly I have never even heard of repeat until success (RUS) quantum computation. I will try to give this a good reading and report my opinion shortly.
http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/0508218
Monday, August 20, 2007
Talking to the master
I did it.
After weeks of wandering around the Physics building, I sighted Professor Joseph Eberly. For those of you who don't know, he is one of the most famous optical physicists in the world. He also happens to be the current president of the Optical Society of America, the worlds largest professional organization of optical researchers, engineers, technicians, and anyone related to the optics industry.
After a brief introduction I sat down and told him how I wanted him to supervise my masters essay. After a bit of convincing, he agreed.
Even better news, he cautiously informed me that there would be a good chance he would be able to take on new students next year. Which is perfect timing considering that is when I would have to start my PhD level research.
Unlike a thesis, the masters essays requires no original research and can be finished within one year, thus allowing me to graduate with a masters after only nine months. The drawback is that you get little or no training in being a researcher. Of course, if I am accepted to the PhD program that will never happen.
None of this was planned. Three months ago I had no idea Joseph Eberly was the president of the OSA nor did I even know he was doing active research in the field of Quantum Information and Quantum Optics. It seems like choosing to attend the University of Rochester was the second best decision I had ever made (marrying my wife would be the first although that was a no brainer).
After weeks of wandering around the Physics building, I sighted Professor Joseph Eberly. For those of you who don't know, he is one of the most famous optical physicists in the world. He also happens to be the current president of the Optical Society of America, the worlds largest professional organization of optical researchers, engineers, technicians, and anyone related to the optics industry.
After a brief introduction I sat down and told him how I wanted him to supervise my masters essay. After a bit of convincing, he agreed.
Even better news, he cautiously informed me that there would be a good chance he would be able to take on new students next year. Which is perfect timing considering that is when I would have to start my PhD level research.
Unlike a thesis, the masters essays requires no original research and can be finished within one year, thus allowing me to graduate with a masters after only nine months. The drawback is that you get little or no training in being a researcher. Of course, if I am accepted to the PhD program that will never happen.
None of this was planned. Three months ago I had no idea Joseph Eberly was the president of the OSA nor did I even know he was doing active research in the field of Quantum Information and Quantum Optics. It seems like choosing to attend the University of Rochester was the second best decision I had ever made (marrying my wife would be the first although that was a no brainer).
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The US News Rankings
Well the latest US News rankings for graduate schools have been published.
While parents and potential graduate students closely monitor these rankings. Many departments and academic groups decry the rankings as superficial and downright false.
In my opinion, what school is right for you is a subjective and personal matter. It would be just as ridiculous as trying to rank what house is better to live in. Some neighborhoods and building styles appeal to different people.
Some people enjoy the small faculty to student ratio offered by places like Cal Tech. While some students want the entire college experience offered by larger schools like UCLA.
In my own example, I was offered admission into the PhD programs of various departments. What I realized upon visiting these departments was that they had hundreds of graduate students. While this may be alluring to some, I began to question what sort of personalized attention I would be receiving in a department with over 300 graduate students. So while these universities outranked Rochester in many respects, my gut told me Rochester would be a more collaborative environment.
Rochester has been the correct choice. The people are very friendly and the department staff go out of there way to assist incoming graduate students. The campus and the city itself is a wonderful and cozy place. The low cost of living means my stipend goes farther than in other cities.
So I hope you too will not be swayed by the rankings. They are fun to look at and comical for bragging rights, but do not serve as an accurate measure of what you will take away from the graduate school experience.
While parents and potential graduate students closely monitor these rankings. Many departments and academic groups decry the rankings as superficial and downright false.
In my opinion, what school is right for you is a subjective and personal matter. It would be just as ridiculous as trying to rank what house is better to live in. Some neighborhoods and building styles appeal to different people.
Some people enjoy the small faculty to student ratio offered by places like Cal Tech. While some students want the entire college experience offered by larger schools like UCLA.
In my own example, I was offered admission into the PhD programs of various departments. What I realized upon visiting these departments was that they had hundreds of graduate students. While this may be alluring to some, I began to question what sort of personalized attention I would be receiving in a department with over 300 graduate students. So while these universities outranked Rochester in many respects, my gut told me Rochester would be a more collaborative environment.
Rochester has been the correct choice. The people are very friendly and the department staff go out of there way to assist incoming graduate students. The campus and the city itself is a wonderful and cozy place. The low cost of living means my stipend goes farther than in other cities.
So I hope you too will not be swayed by the rankings. They are fun to look at and comical for bragging rights, but do not serve as an accurate measure of what you will take away from the graduate school experience.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
US declines to participate in study to compare mathematics proficiency.
Newsweek covers an interesting move by the US government to withdraw from participating from a mathematics and science education survey.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Super Lensing
A team of physicists have been able to beat the classic resolution limit for lensing using using circles etched onto a plate.
Applications range from lithography to optical data storage.
Read it on the Scientific American website:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=BBCD5C39-E7F2-99DF-31F888172DD02D36&chanID=sa021
Applications range from lithography to optical data storage.
Read it on the Scientific American website:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=BBCD5C39-E7F2-99DF-31F888172DD02D36&chanID=sa021
Monday, July 23, 2007
Greetings!
Hello!
First, let me introduce myself. I'm a first year graduate student at the University of Rochester, where I am currently working towards my masters degree in optics. In general, like all optikers, I enjoy staying informed regarding current events in the optics industry and scientific research.
My research interests are in quantum information and quantum optics.
After graduating from public university from California I decided to work for four years as an IT manager. Since then, I have decided to come back and pursue my PhD.
After applying to several strong schools in quantum optics I ultimately decided to attend the University of Rochester's Institute of Optics. This was not an easy decision considering I was offered fellowships and immediate admission in a PhD program at several well regarded universities. However, I ultimately felt at home at the University of Rochester. The professors were quite welcoming and the students were very down to earth and spoke well of their time at Rochester.
The Institute of Optics is an academic department that specializes in optics education. The coursework and research span a wide range of optics related areas: from optical devices, biomedical imaging, laser based fusion, Bose-Einstein Condensate, nano-optics, to quantum optical information.
It is my hope, that from time to time whenever I discover something cool regarding optics technology, research, or industry, I will post it onto this blog. In order to protect my others, I will not use real names.
Enjoy!
First, let me introduce myself. I'm a first year graduate student at the University of Rochester, where I am currently working towards my masters degree in optics. In general, like all optikers, I enjoy staying informed regarding current events in the optics industry and scientific research.
My research interests are in quantum information and quantum optics.
After graduating from public university from California I decided to work for four years as an IT manager. Since then, I have decided to come back and pursue my PhD.
After applying to several strong schools in quantum optics I ultimately decided to attend the University of Rochester's Institute of Optics. This was not an easy decision considering I was offered fellowships and immediate admission in a PhD program at several well regarded universities. However, I ultimately felt at home at the University of Rochester. The professors were quite welcoming and the students were very down to earth and spoke well of their time at Rochester.
The Institute of Optics is an academic department that specializes in optics education. The coursework and research span a wide range of optics related areas: from optical devices, biomedical imaging, laser based fusion, Bose-Einstein Condensate, nano-optics, to quantum optical information.
It is my hope, that from time to time whenever I discover something cool regarding optics technology, research, or industry, I will post it onto this blog. In order to protect my others, I will not use real names.
Enjoy!
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