The PAM Talks

1.0.2 Pragati Gupta - Building Powerful Computers with Quantum Mechanics

Pragati Gupta is a PhD student with the Quantum Science and Technology Group at the University of Calgary. In this episode of the PAM Talks, we’re diving into the fascinating world of quantum computing as undergraduate student Emina Hafiz interviews Pragati about her research in quantum computing.
Quantum computing is a developing technology that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to make computers that will be able to rapidly solve some of the types of problems that are challenging for classical computers to solve efficiently. Instead of using classical bits, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits. What makes qubits special is that they can exist in multiple states at the same time. It's like having a light switch that can be both on and off simultaneously! This property is an example of superposition. Because of superposition, a quantum computer can perform many calculations at the same time, making it potentially much more powerful than a classical computer for certain types of problems.
Host: Emina Hafiz, Astrophysics undergraduate student, University of Calgary.
Edited by:
Anja Rabus, MSc student, Complexity Physics, University of Calgary.
Becky Booth, PhD Candidate, Astrophysics, University of Calgary.
The PAM Talks gratefully acknowledges support from the University of Calgary Graduate Student Association Quality Money grant program.

1.0.1 Dr. Anna Ordog - Radio Astronomy and the Magnetic Field of the Milky Way

Like the Sun and the Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy has a magnetic field. This Galactic magnetic field plays a significant role in star formation and is even thought to support the vertical structure of the Galactic disk against gravitational collapse. There is no doubt about its importance, but we still know very little about the Galactic magnetic field. Since magnetic fields themselves do not give off light, they are difficult to observe directly. Dr. Anna Ordog is a post-doctoral researcher at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory. In this inaugural episode of the PAM Talks, PhD student Pooja Woosaree interviews Dr. Ordog and learns how radio astronomy is used to detect and model the Magnetic field of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Host: Pooja Woosaree, PhD Candidate, Alpha-G Collaboration, University of Calgary
Produced and edited by: Becky Booth, PhD Candidate, Astrophysics, University of Calgary
The PAM Talks gratefully acknowledges support from the University of Calgary Graduate Student Association Quality Money grant program.