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Student-led physics conference highlights undergraduate research

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:32:58 +0000

Student-led physics conference highlights undergraduate research Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 10/14/2026 - 08:32

Kirsten Apodaca

Walk through the Duane Physics building on any ordinary Saturday, and you might come across a few researchers working in labs or students collaborating on a group project.

But on one recent Saturday in September, the halls of Duane were buzzing with undergraduates from across Colorado (and beyond), presenting their research at the Undergraduate Physics Conference of Colorado (UPCC).

Organized entirely by students, the conference featured student research talks, poster presentations, and a plenary session by Jun Ye, a JILA/NIST fellow and Monroe Endowed Professor of Physics at ��ñ��.

Ye, who is also an alumnus of ��ñ��, spoke about life as a student and researcher at ��ñ��, and shared how his education and collaborations inspired him to pursue a successful career in precision measurement and quantum science.

How it started

Co-founder Ben Braun (Phys’26) recalled how the conference, now in its second year, began as just a “crazy idea” in early 2025. Braun and graduate student Luke Adams wanted to give undergraduates a chance to experience a conference and give a research talk in a low-stakes environment.

“It was meant to provide a taste of what a large-scale, national conference feels like, without the same, large-scale sacrifice—financial, academic or otherwise,” Braun said.

The first conference was held last October, and it was a rousing success.

Growing the scientific community

This year, physics students Jeremy Goodkin and Zack Larter organized and directed the conference, with Braun and physics professor Colin West serving as advisors. With over 230 attendees, 30 poster presentations, and 30 talks, this year’s conference was another hit. New this year, the event featured a career and opportunities fair with representatives from Xairos, Infleqtion, UROP, and Quantum Scholars. One of the organizers’ goals is to grow the scientific community, and by all accounts, they have succeeded.

Attendees came from institutions across Colorado and beyond, including the University of Denver, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, Colorado College, Colorado Mesa University, Front Range Community College, University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado Anschutz, and Ohio State University.

“The interest from attendees all across Colorado in their peers’ research was amazing to see,” said Goodkin. “It demonstrated the necessity for the conference and how providing this opportunity to undergraduates allows them to flourish as scientists.”

Larter added, “it was an honor to showcase the incredible undergraduate research from across Colorado (and beyond) and celebrate these up-and-coming physicists. With UPCC, we’re building up the next generation of this nation’s physics researchers and fostering a stronger undergraduate physics community for everyone.”

A conference by undergraduates, for undergraduates

West emphasized the enormous effort required to organize a conference. “I think every faculty member knows what an undertaking it is merely to attend a conference or to organize a panel at one, let alone what it takes to put on an entire conference itself,” said West. “A conference by undergraduates for undergraduates is an incredibly compelling idea, but much easier said than done. What these students have accomplished for two years in a row now is nothing short of astonishing.”

The organizing team also credited the undergraduate, graduate student, and faculty volunteers who helped make this year’s conference a success, and ��ñ��’s Department of Physics for providing breakfast and lunch for all attendees.

Goodkin, Larter, and West have already begun planning next year’s conference, including recruiting new student leaders and building a sustainable framework, in hopes of making the UPCC a regular, ongoing event.

“A project like this has so many benefits for both the students who attend and the students who organize it,” said West. “We owe it to the future physics students of our state to keep it going as long as we can.”

UPCC 2026 Awards

Best speaker in atomic, molecular, and optical physics
Arabella Quane, ��ñ��

Best speaker in astrophysics
Charlotte Snow, University of Denver

Best speaker in high energy physics
Jake LaFore, Colorado School of Mines

Best speaker in condensed matter, quantum information, and living systems
Saksham Hassanandani, ��ñ��

Best poster
Adam Ballas, Ohio State University

Follow the Undergraduate Physics Conference of Colorado on LinkedIn or check out their website for updates on next year's conference.

Organized entirely by undergraduates, the second-annual Undergraduate Physics Conference of Colorado brought together more than 230 attendees from across the region to present research, build community and explore opportunities.

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Jun Ye named fellow of Hagler Institute by Texas A&M

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:56:24 +0000

Jun Ye named fellow of Hagler Institute by Texas A&M Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 10/12/2026 - 12:56

Jun Ye, fellow of JILA and NIST and Monroe Endowed Professor of Physics, has been named a fellow of the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M, the institute announced on Oct. 5.

Ye is one of 10 new fellows named to the 2026-2027 class, recognized for outstanding achievements in their fields. All fellows are distinguished scholars with membership in national academies or organizations of similar stature.

The institute’s announcement reads Ye is a “world-renowned leader in physics who has made significant contributions to the study of light-matter interactions and the development of tools in quantum technology and precision measurement.”

During his time as a fellow, Ye will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M.

Jun Ye, fellow of JILA and NIST and Monroe Endowed Professor of Physics, has been named a fellow of the Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M, the institute announced on Oct. 5.

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Aaron Young (PhDPhys’24) wins Theodore Hänsch Prize from Optica

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:51:45 +0000

Aaron Young (PhDPhys’24) wins Theodore Hänsch Prize from Optica Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 10/12/2026 - 12:51

��ñ�� alumnus Aaron Young (PhDPhys’24) is the 2026 recipient of Optica’s Theodore Hänsch Prize in quantum optics.

The prestigious prize is awarded to early-career scientists for pioneering research on quantum technologies with goals of advancing basic research with meaningful global impact and transitioning ideas into commercial ventures.

Young was selected “for his work with ultrafast and high-resolution spatial light modulation for cold atoms,” according to Optica.

Named in honor of Nobel Laureate and Optica Honorary Member Theodor W. Hänsch, the prize is funded by Hamamatsu Photonics, MenloSystems, and Thorlabs. Young is the second ��ñ�� alum to receive the award, following Raghavendra Srinivas (PhDPhys’20) who was selected in 2024.

Young completed his PhD in physics in 2024 under the mentorship of Professor and JILA Fellow Adam Kaufman, and he is now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University.

��ñ�� alumnus Aaron Young (PhDPhys’24) is the 2026 recipient of Optica’s Theodore Hänsch Prize in quantum optics, a prestigious prize awarded to early-career scientists for pioneering research on quantum technologies.

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Jun Ye named 2026 Wolf Prize laureate in Physics

Kirsten Apodaca — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:57:23 +0000

Jun Ye named 2026 Wolf Prize laureate in Physics Kirsten Apodaca Fri, 10/02/2026 - 16:57

Kirsten Apodaca

Jun Ye, fellow of NIST and JILA and Monroe Endowed Professor of Physics at the ��ñ��, has won the 2026 Wolf Prize in Physics along with Immanuel Bloch (Max Planck Institute), the Wolf Foundation announced on October 1.

Ye and Bloch were selected for “transformative, widely applicable advances in the control of ultracold atomic systems,” the award citation reads.

Ye has led the development of the world’s most accurate and stable atomic clocks, timekeepers so precise they neither gain nor lose a second over billions of years. His work has revolutionized precision timekeeping, redefining international standards for time and frequency measurement.

“Working with lasers and atoms to create precisely controlled quantum systems opens opportunities for many scientific and technological applications,” said Ye. “Building the next generation of atomic clocks is a compelling example of this scientific confluence.”

The Wolf Prize is awarded annually and acknowledges scientists and artists worldwide for their outstanding achievements in advancing science and the arts for the betterment of humanity, according to the foundation’s website. Awards in the sciences are presented in medicine, agriculture, mathematics, chemistry and physics.

Now in its 47^th year, the Wolf Prize has been awarded to 391 scientists and artists to date, with a monetary award of $100,000.

“I am greatly honored and humbled by the recognition from the Wolf Prize,” said Ye. “Pursuing scientific research at the cutting edge requires great teamwork over many years.”

Ye highlighted the strong collaborative environment among JILA, the Department of Physics, ��ñ�� and NIST. “I am very fortunate to have worked with so many brilliant scientists, from my mentors and close colleagues to the world’s best students and postdocs in the lab,” he said. “Receiving this award really means sharing this recognition with all of our lab members and the supporting staff in our institution.”

“At JILA we are thrilled that Jun has been awarded the prize. This award is a milestone in a remarkable career that continues to inspire the next generation of scientists,” said Andreas Becker, distinguished professor of physics and chair of JILA. “With his visionary work he continuously pushes the boundaries of quantum science.”

Clocks provide practical and useful services such as navigation and communication. But as they become more precise, they can also be used to test the fundamental laws of nature and explore new frontiers of knowledge. “More than just telling the time, clocks become the next generation of telescopes and microscopes, allowing us to peek farther and deeper into the unknown,” said Ye.

Recently, Ye’s group collaborated with scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and several other institutions on a proposal to install highly stable, ultra-precise lasers on the moon. The system could provide a navigational signal for future lunar missions and may even detect ripples in space-time.

“Jun’s work exemplifies the kind of fundamental research that expands our understanding of the universe while opening possibilities we couldn't imagine when the work began,” said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes at ��ñ��. “The extraordinary impact of his research reflects the ambition and excellence that define research at ��ñ��, drawing exceptional researchers and students here to work alongside the very best, push the boundaries of their fields and pursue discoveries with the potential to shape our world.”

Kurt Vogel, Jan Hall, Jun Ye, and Scott Davis at the CU Physics PhD Centenary Celebration.

Ye completed his PhD in physics at ��ñ�� in 1997 as the last graduate student of John Hall, who later won the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics.

“Jun’s journey from being a grad student in our department to receiving one of the highest honors in physics is especially meaningful to us,” said Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics.

Following a Millikan Postdoctoral Fellowship under the mentorship of Jeff Kimble at the California Institute of Technology, Ye returned to Boulder in 1999 to establish his research program working with NIST, JILA and the Department of Physics.

Ye is a member of national societies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. He is a fellow of Optica and the American Physical Society. In 2024, Ye was appointed the inaugural recipient of the Monroe Endowed Professorship by the Department of Physics.

Among Ye’s honors are the Berthold Leibinger Future Prize, the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Niels Bohr Institute Medal of Honor, five Gold Medals from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Micius Quantum Prize, the N.F. Ramsey Prize, the I.I. Rabi Prize and Award, and the Distinguished U.S. Presidential Rank Award.

Ye is the fourth physicist affiliated with ��ñ�� to receive the Wolf Prize. Previous recipients include alumnus Theodore Maiman (EngrPhys’49), awarded in 1984; Peter Zoller, adjoint fellow of JILA and previously a professor of physics, who received the prize in 2013; and Richard Zare, adjoint fellow of JILA and previously a professor of physics and chemistry, who was awarded the chemistry prize in 2005.

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Keith Ulmer writes for CERN: Nobody knows what new physics will look like

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:17:02 +0000

Keith Ulmer writes for CERN: Nobody knows what new physics will look like Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 09/30/2026 - 10:17

Illustration by Sandbox Studio, Chicago

Keith Ulmer

Opinion by Keith Ulmer, an Associate Professor of Physics at the ��ñ��. Republished from Beyond Standard with permission from CERN.

Every year, theoretical physicists dream up hundreds of ideas for how new physics could materialize in the data produced by the Large Hadron Collider. As a physicist on one of the LHC’s biggest experiments, I love the enthusiasm. But testing each one of these ideas takes time—often, the length of an entire PhD thesis. We just don’t have the people power to hack away at all these clever ideas individually. Even more, the data volume generated by the LHC’s collisions is extraordinary; far beyond what we can record and store. We only have microseconds to select the most promising collisions, and if a theorist’s cool new idea doesn’t make the cut, the events that could prove it right are automatically dumped in the trash.

This has always made me and my colleagues on the CMS Experiment at CERN deeply uncomfortable. What if we’re missing out on something extraordinary simply because a new idea didn’t make our “this could be interesting” list?

Illustration by Sandbox Studio, Chicago with Thumy Phan

One idea is that—in addition to our “this could be interesting” list—we also keep a random selection of events that might not seem interesting at first glance, but could later reveal unexpected patterns. But new physics is so rare that catching it in a random sample is like throwing a fishing net into the bay and catching a kraken. Another solution could be to reduce the file sizes of the data we store, like going from high-resolution photographs to pixelated JPEGs. This would let us store a much higher fraction of events. But it would also mean that if we do find evidence of new physics, we would only have a blurry image of it.

So what can we do?

Thanks to a Genesis Mission award from the US Department of Energy, which was granted to my group at the ��ñ��, and our collaborators at Fermilab, UCSD, and Johns Hopkins, we no longer have to compromise. We can have our selection of high-quality data. We can have our pixelated thumbnails. We can adapt the concept of “random sampling” so that it is no longer random, but optimized to search for the strangest, most amazing events. And we can do all of this while staying within our computing power constraints.

How? By developing ultra-fast artificial intelligence and deploying it at the earliest stages of data collection.

First, we are reimagining something we call an anomaly detection trigger. Triggers are hardware and software tools that automatically sort our data into “this is interesting and should be saved” or “this is boring and can be chucked.”

Traditional trigger systems search for pre-programmed patterns in the data. But for the anomaly detection trigger, we don’t tell it what to look for. We simply ask, “Does this event look different from all the others?” If the answer is yes, we flag and save it. This anomaly trigger will not replace our traditional triggers, but instead add a special “anomalous” data set that preserves the strangest, most amazing events. With this data set, we no longer need to individually test every new physics model; we can simply see if any weird patterns emerge.

Illustration by Sandbox Studio, Chicago

We deployed an initial prototype during LHC Run 3 and proved that the concept works. With the Genesis Mission grant, we can transform this idea from a proof of principle into full production and deploy it during the High Luminosity run of the LHC, which will create some of the most complex data ever seen and at a rate previously unimaginable.

Second, we are pushing a concept called data scouting. In addition to keeping our high-resolution data of the things we want to study (i.e., Higgs bosons), we also want to keep everything else—but in a much more compact, “pixelated” form. The concept is like covering a nature reserve with cheap, low‑resolution wildlife cameras. Sure, we will still have our high-resolution cameras set-up in places where we know we will see something cool, but we will also have the opportunity to catch a blurry tentacle unexpectedly emerging from the bay.

And this brings us to the final part: If we find an anomaly, we don’t just flag it. We use AI to reverse‑engineer what made those events strange and then write new trigger criteria so that we can capture that blurry tentacle in full resolution if it ever appears again. (And thus, maybe finally catch our kraken.)

This three‑part strategy—anomaly detection, data scouting, and AI‑assisted trigger redesign—will give us the flexibility to catch not only the strange things dreamed-up by theorists, but the events nobody saw coming. In this way, these tools are not just new technology: They are a paradigm shift. And for me, that’s the most exciting part of this research. We no longer have to pretend that we know what new physics will look like. We can openly embrace our own ignorance and search for physics signatures that lie beyond the human imagination.

In an opinion piece for CERN, Associate Professor Keith Ulmer explores how artificial intelligence could help physicists uncover previously unseen phenomena in particle collision data.

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Illustration by Sandbox Studio, Chicago

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In Memoriam: Jerry Leigh, a legend of the Physics Teaching Labs

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:32:21 +0000

In Memoriam: Jerry Leigh, a legend of the Physics Teaching Labs Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 09/15/2026 - 17:32

Kirsten Apodaca

Jerry Leigh, a longtime pillar of the Department of Physics’ undergraduate teaching laboratories, passed away in July 2025.

Leigh was born July 22, 1935. Prior to working at the ��ñ��, he took college courses for several years but never settled on a degree. At that time, the military draft was active, so Leigh enlisted in the U.S. Army’s Project Nike universal fire control program, a year-long course that trained military personnel in standardizing the fire control system.

After completing the course, Leigh was assigned as crew chief on an upgrade team responsible for installing the changes to Nike systems. Soon after, he was assigned to the Nike Hercules Site 13 on the McGregor Range in Fort Bliss, Texas, where he taught National Guard members how to operate and maintain the Hercules missile system.

Following his discharge from Army service, Leigh spent six years working as a field engineer for IBM, but he soon sought to use his technical background in a more creative role. He applied to work for the Department of Physics at ��ñ��.

Leigh was hired in September 1967 by Frank Oppenheimer, then an associate professor of physics, to help develop the “Library of Physics Experiments.” In an interview about Oppenheimer, Leigh said he was hired “to assist teaching assistants with growing classes, devising and fabricating fixes for (Oppenheimer’s) often crudely built apparatus and repair lab documentation written hastily without editing.”

Leigh quickly proved his ability to fix problems in the lab, much to Oppenheimer’s delight. Oppenheimer would point out some equipment needing to be fixed or improved, and Leigh would come up with an innovative solution.

In one example, a physics experiment designed to measure Earth’s gravity was plagued by a steel ball that kept getting stuck to the electromagnet. Leigh came up with a simple fix by gluing a small fiber washer to the magnet. The adjustment solved the problem, becoming one of the many examples of his creativity in the teaching labs and was used for over 30 years.

"Jerry was a gifted lab coordinator for the lower division physics laboratory courses,” says John Cumalat, professor of physics. “He had built many of the experiments used in the classes and he could fix any problems that arose. He was legendary among the graduate teaching assistants and with the students as the go-to person to explain how the apparatus and physics worked.”

In recognition of Leigh’s outstanding contributions and dedication, he was named the Department of Physics Employee of the Year in 2003. Two years later, Leigh was recognized on the campus level when he was designated as the 2005 Chancellor’s Employee of the Year.

Leigh supported students and faculty in the Department of Physics for 45 years before retiring on December 31, 2012.

“Jerry was generous with his time and assisted everyone who asked for help,” Cumalat says. “He was a friend to many people in the department. I will never forget his sense of humor, smile, and chuckle."

Jerry Leigh before his retirement in the fall of 2012.

Jerry Leigh, who was hired by Frank Oppenheimer in 1967 and went on to devote 45 years to the Department of Physics’ undergraduate teaching laboratories, passed away in July 2025.

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Physics faculty awarded Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission funding for AI-based projects

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:02:50 +0000

Physics faculty awarded Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission funding for AI-based projects Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 08/18/2026 - 09:02

Kirsten Apodaca

Six physics faculty from ��ñ�� are leading or contributing to new projects awarded more than $1.6 million in highly competitive U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission grants, the agency announced on July 22. Nationwide, only 278 phase-one projects were funded out of over 5,000 proposals.

Yuan Shi and Keith Ulmer are principal investigators on their respective projects, Dennis Perepelitsa is a co-principal investigator on two projects, Jamie Nagle is a co-principal investigator on another, and Xun Gao and Scott Parker are collaborators on the project led by Shi.

The Genesis Mission is a historic national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is building the world’s most powerful integrated science discovery platform. By uniting government, industry, academia, and philanthropy, it is accelerating breakthroughs in energy, scientific discovery, and national security through a new platform that combines AI, supercomputing, quantum systems, and advanced scientific instruments.

“Having six CU Physics faculty involved across four Genesis Mission projects is incredibly impressive,” says Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics. “This reflects the broad strength of our department and demonstrates how our faculty are leading the way in putting AI and quantum technologies to work on some of the most challenging questions in fundamental science.”

AI for analyzing particle collisions at the Large Hadron Collider

Ulmer, with collaborators from the University of California San Diego, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Johns Hopkins University, will use AI to analyze largely untapped datasets of particle collisions from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

Each day, the LHC produces about 4,000 petabytes, or 4 billion gigabytes, of particle collision data used by physicists around the world to better understand the fundamental nature of the universe. Because of the enormous amount of data, current analyses are limited to roughly one in every 10,000 particle collisions, leaving potential anomalies undetected.

By combining high-energy physics expertise, data science, and industry AI methods, Ulmer and his collaborators will develop a system capable of analyzing the full dataset from the LHC. Called the AI-Inclusive Discovery of Anomalies in Scouting (AIDA-Scout), the system will analyze data in real time, automatically adjust to changing detector conditions, and find anomalies in collision data that could lead to new scientific discoveries.

Using quantum computing technologies and AI to simulate plasma for fusion pilot plants

Shi is leading a project to generate plasma simulations needed for fusion pilot plants. Collaborators on the project include Gao and Parker, as well as colleagues from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Infleqtion.

Even today’s most powerful supercomputers cannot produce certain plasma simulations essential for developing fusion pilot plants.

The team will develop new computational methods combining quantum computing, quantum machine learning, and AI to create more efficient and accurate simulations needed for fusion to become a potential energy source.

“This project seeks to prepare the fusion community for the coming generation of quantum computers by creating algorithms and software that can take advantage of quantum hardware as it matures,” says Shi. “The resulting capabilities could significantly accelerate plasma simulations, supporting advances in fusion energy science and scientific computing.”

AI for understanding quark-gluon plasma

Some of the final collisions captured by the sPHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, a nuclear physics research facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory. (Image Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory)

A project led by Baruch College, City University of New York involves ��ñ�� physics faculty Jamie Nagle and Dennis Perepelitsa as co-principal investigators. The project’s leadership team includes Yeonju Go, a former postdoctoral researcher in ��ñ��’s experimental nuclear physics group.

The project is designed to better understand the quark-gluon plasma, a phase of matter which only existed microseconds after the Big Bang at temperatures exceeding two trillion Kelvin. At Brookhaven National Laboratory, scientists recreate tiny droplets of quark-gluon plasma by colliding gold nuclei together at nearly the speed of light. These collisions are analyzed by the sPHENIX detector, which acts as a giant camera, capturing approximately 15,000 particle collisions each second.

When creating the quark-gluon plasma, sometimes there are two high energy quarks that scatter, and this project aims to separate and analyze these specific images by using an unsupervised AI framework known as cycle-consistent generative learning.

“We know how quarks scatter at high energy, but we want to understand how they scatter when they’re inside the plasma,” says Nagle.

AI for enhancing the foundation model for nuclear and particle physics

Dennis Perepelitsa is a co-principal investigator on a project led by colleagues at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory aimed at enhancing the Foundation Model for Nuclear and Particle Physics (FM4NPP), a large-scale AI model built to extract scientific insights directly from raw detector data.

Foundation models go beyond the more commonly known large language models (LLMs) by being able to perform a variety of tasks. The project will extend the current FM4NPP, which only includes information from one sPHENIX detector subsystem, to include a variety of other detectors, making the model truly multi-modal and enhancing the capability of the detector for quark-gluon plasma measurements. Ultimately, the FM4NPP effort is envisioned as a multi-institution consortium between national labs, universities, and industry to accelerate scientific discovery in a broad set of nuclear and particle physics datasets.

“In modern collider detectors, physics processes leave signatures in multiple subsystems at once, and a comprehensive picture is needed for the highest scientific sensitivity. The foundation model is based on similar principles as commercial LLMs, which is that with enough data and scale, it can make connections beyond the existing non-AI approaches,” says Perepelitsa.

View the ��ñ�� press release

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Recent grad heads to Washington to help shape quantum policy

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 20:16:18 +0000

Recent grad heads to Washington to help shape quantum policy Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 08/05/2026 - 14:16

Kirsten Apodaca

Joey Pontiff (Phys’26) is taking his physics and political science education to the nation’s capital this summer, working for the Commission on Quantum Primacy — a national initiative focused on supporting U.S. leadership in quantum technologies. The position is hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) and places Pontiff at the intersection of science, industry and policy. Right where he wants to be.

Led by Senators Todd Young and Ben Ray Luján, who co-chair the commission, the group brings together influential figures in the quantum realm, including leaders from national laboratories, large technology companies and quantum startups.

It's exciting to see how industry, academia and government all have to work together," says Pontiff. "For quantum to succeed, you need all three."

Pontiff started this summer as an intern but soon after was offered a full-time role as Associate Director of Future Technology Platforms with a focus on quantum, AI for science, talent and workforce.

In this role, Pontiff uses his technical background to provide insights and translate technical needs into policy recommendations for the commission. He also helps develop recommendations on building an ecosystem of quantum talent and on innovative applications of quantum technology.

"It's exciting to see how industry, academia and government all have to work together," says Pontiff. "For quantum to succeed, you need all three."

A Quantum Scholars connection

Pontiff initially landed the internship from a connection made with SCSP through Quantum Scholars, a ��ñ�� program that encourages undergraduates to learn more about quantum science and the growing quantum industry.

He first met Ryan Carpenter, special advisor for SCSP, when Carpenter spoke to the scholars last year. Pontiff continued building on that relationship by attending the AI+ Expo supported by SCSP and staying connected afterward.

Earlier this spring, Pontiff was considering taking a gap year after graduation, but he reached out to Carpenter for advice about the science policy world.

Having completed a political science minor alongside his physics degree, Pontiff says he has always been fascinated by policy. Public service also runs in his family. His great-great-grandfather served in the U.S. Senate and several other relatives have led careers in government.

As quantum technologies continue to advance, Pontiff sees an increasing need for scientists who can bridge the gap between technical expertise and public policy.

Soon after interviewing with SCSP, he got the internship offer and quickly made plans to start the summer in Washington, D.C.

Being engaged

One piece of advice Pontiff emphasizes is being engaged in whatever you do.

“I’ve had some of the best experiences and made many wonderful friends from the times I have been most engaged,” he says.

Initially, he joined Quantum Scholars because he wanted to meet other students and learn more about the field, but Pontiff became a key leader of the program, serving as chair of the student-led executive board over the past year.

Pontiff was a key force behind the program launching social meetings in addition to the regular programming. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Alice and Bob mentoring program and helped organize the Physics and Quantum Research Expo.

“Quantum Scholars has been such a gratifying experience in my college career,” he says. “I’ve built so many connections that I will carry with me.”

Building community in the great outdoors

One of Pontiff’s big takeaways from college has been the importance of building community, and for him, that extended beyond the classroom.

After a difficult start to his college career at the University of Washington, Pontiff transferred to ��ñ�� and got involved in many communities across campus. He joined several recreation clubs but soon realized he wanted to meet more people interested in adventure sports. Together with fellow student and former Quantum Scholar Tyler Kivelson, they founded the Big Mountain Club, bringing together adventure-seekers who support each other on achieving their next big goal.

What began as a small group of outdoor enthusiasts has grown into a thriving community of over 200 members connected through GroupMe. The club connects backcountry skiers, climbers, trail runners, mountain bikers, whitewater rafters and other athletes looking to challenge themselves and support each other.

“We wanted to form a community of like-minded people who wanted to push themselves and find their limits,” says Pontiff.

A life-changing fall

One of the most transformative experiences during Pontiff’s college career came very unexpectedly.

In the summer of 2024, just before the fall semester was set to begin, he suffered a traumatic brain injury during a rock-climbing accident in Clear Creek Canyon. He remembers the feeling of falling and then waking up to a team of EMTs rushing him into an ambulance. The fall fractured several vertebrae and resulted in a subdural hematoma.

His recovery was long and difficult. Pontiff spent weeks sleeping up to 18 hours a day and struggled with vision problems that required special tinted glasses and several hours of eye therapy every day.

Despite the challenge, he decided to stay enrolled instead of stepping away from school. “When something like that happens, it gives you massive clarity on what truly matters in life,” he says.

With the help of meditation and craniosacral therapy, Pontiff continued his studies while recovering.

Earlier this summer, he returned to outdoor climbing and summitted the Second Flatiron in Boulder, marking his first climb since the accident.

“You don’t know how much you enjoy things until you go without them,” says Pontiff. “And you don’t know what you’re capable of until you’ve crawled out of the depths. But I wouldn’t trade the journey for anything.”

Chasing the wind and turning into the storm

Looking ahead, Pontiff isn’t certain where his career will take him. Instead of mapping the future out, he’s learning as much as he can, exploring, and listening to what the world tells him. Or as he puts it, “chasing the wind,” a nod to one of his favorite books, The Name of the Wind.

No matter what lies ahead, his personal philosophy is to face challenges head on.

“When a storm is coming, bison don’t run away from it,” he says. “They turn directly into the storm because they know it’s the fastest way through.”

For students facing challenges, his advice is simple: “If there’s an obstacle in front of you, don’t run from it. Turn into it. Really engage with it. That’s the fastest way to get through it and that’s how you learn the most.”

Joey Pontiff with his family at graduation in front of the Duane Physics building.

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In Memoriam: Stephen Halley White (Phys’63)

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:13:53 +0000

In Memoriam: Stephen Halley White (Phys’63) Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 07/08/2026 - 14:13

Stephen Halley White, a ��ñ�� alumnus and pioneering biophysicist, passed away on May 31, 2026.

White earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from ��ñ�� in 1963. As an undergraduate, he held several pivotal research positions: working in Professor Walter Tantilla’s lab as an NMR electronics technician, helping Professor Donald Burckhardt develop a speech-synthesizing system, and studying the development of a liquid-state laser with Professor Seth Mizushima.

He went on to earn both his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Washington. After serving as an Army captain, White completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia.

In 1972, White joined the faculty at the University of California Irvine as a founding member of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. He led a research program in membrane biophysics, connecting physical chemistry and biophysics with molecular cell biology.

Throughout his career, White made significant contributions to the Biophysical Society through numerous leadership roles, including service as president from 1996 to 1997. He received the society’s Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and was named a fellow in 2002.

In 2013, White and his wife Jackie Dooley established an award at ��ñ�� to recognize exceptional undergraduate physics research projects—a tribute to the research experiences that had such a profound impact on him as a student. The Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award is presented annually to two students and is one of the highest honors for physics and engineering physics undergraduates.

“Steve approached me when I was chair to establish this award because he felt his undergraduate research at CU played a foundational role in his distinguished career,” says Paul Beale, professor and former chair of physics. “He and Jackie were always impressed by the outstanding students who received the Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. I will miss my dear friend.”

View UC Irvine's memoriam for Stephen Halley White

Recent Stephen Halley White Award Recipients

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Alexander Aeppli (PhDPhys’25) receives Deborah Jin thesis award

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:58:01 +0000

Alexander Aeppli (PhDPhys’25) receives Deborah Jin thesis award Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 06/11/2026 - 06:58

Kirsten Apodaca

Physics alumnus Alexander Aeppli (PhDPhys’25) is the recipient of this year’s Deborah Jin Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research, a national honor awarded by the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) of the American Physical Society. Aeppli received the award at the annual DAMOP meeting held June 1-5, 2026, in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Deborah Jin Award recognizes outstanding doctoral-level research in the areas of atomic, molecular or optical physics. Originally established in 1992, it was endowed and renamed in 2016 in honor of the late Deborah Jin, former JILA fellow and adjoint professor of physics at the ��ñ��, for her outstanding contributions to the field.

Aeppli was selected “for pioneering work that pushes the frontier of coherence times and measurement precision in optical lattice clocks,” according to the award citation.

“It’s a wonderful honor to receive this award in recognition of my PhD,” said Aeppli. “I have looked up to many of the past thesis prize winners, so joining their ranks is indeed humbling.”

Aeppli completed his doctoral research with Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye, whom he credits for providing “consistent guidance and support.” While this is nominally an individual award, Aeppli said it represents a collective effort.

“I would not have received this award if I did not have the support of this excellent department, the wealth of knowledge and community at JILA, and many brilliant mentors and peers,” he said.

Now working as a quantum engineer at Atom Computing, Aeppli is building quantum computers using many of the same techniques he learned during his PhD.

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