Events During the Week of August 30th through September 6th, 2026
Monday, August 31st, 2026
- No events scheduled
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
- Graduate Program Event
- Notebook reclamation - Fall 2026 edition
- Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
- Place: 3320 Chamberlin
- Abstract: A large number of lab notebooks are abandoned each semester by students in physics undergrad classes. Help us reclaim them!
1 – Bring any abandoned notebooks to 3320 CH by 11am Tuesday, September 1.
2 – Join us to help strip out and recycle the used pages on Tuesday, Sept 1, 11am – 3320 CH
3- Need a notebook? Reclaimed notebooks will be free for the taking in the CH lobby (next to the mural). - Host: Sharon Kahn
- Department Coffee Hour
- Cookie Potluck!
- Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Place: outside on the front steps (overlooking University Ave).
- Abstract: Bakers should bring a batch of their best to share! If you’re not a baker or don’t have time, just come hang out with us for a bit to have a cookie or two (we always have plenty!). For the bakers, it’d be helpful if you can mark your goodies with an allergens list (especially helpful to mark nuts/no nuts, dairy-free, gluten-free, etc.). If the weather’s nice, let’s gather outside on the front steps (overlooking University Ave).
- Host: Sharon Kahn
- Council Meeting
- Physics Council Meeting
- Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- Place: 2314 Chamberlin
- Speaker: Kevin Black, UW-Madison
- Host: Kevin Black
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026
- Academic Calendar
- Fall Semester Instruction Begins
- Abstract: *Note: actual end time may vary.* CONTACT: admin@secfac.wisc.edu
- Department Meeting
- Time: 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm
- Place: B343 Sterling
- Speaker: Kevin Black, UW - Madison
- Host: Kevin Black
Thursday, September 3rd, 2026
- R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar
- Strongly anharmonic flux-tunable transmon based on InAs-Al two-dimensional heterostructure
- Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Arunav Bordoloi, NYU
- Abstract: Superconducting qubits inherently face a longstanding tradeoff between anharmonicity and susceptibility to charge noise - a limitation that affects even state-of-the-art transmons and gatemons. In this talk, I will present a flux-frustrated transmon architecture [1] that overcomes this tradeoff by exploiting the interference of higher-order harmonics in highly transparent epitaxial Al-InAs Josephson junctions. Using this approach, we experimentally demonstrate anharmonicity exceeding 100% and reaching up to 800% of the qubit transition frequency at the half-integer flux sweet spot, without introducing additional sensitivity to offset-charge noise. The resulting large anharmonicity enables raw Rabi frequencies exceeding 100 MHz without complex pulse shaping, providing a simple and robust route toward faster qubit control. I will then discuss our ongoing efforts to extend this platform toward higher-temperature operation, with the goal of realizing superconducting qubits near 1 Kelvin to facilitate the scaling of quantum hardware. Finally, I will present preliminary results on gate-tunable superconductor–insulator transitions in epitaxial Al-InAs heterostructures, demonstrating the broader potential of this platform for exploring dissipative quantum phenomena and electrically tunable superconducting devices. [1] S. Liu*, A. Bordoloi* et al., Nature Communications 17, 740 (2026)
- Host: Roman Kuzmin
- Astronomy Colloquium
- Astronomy Colloquium: Show and Tell
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
- Abstract: The first two Thursday colloquia of the year will be held on September 3rd and September 10th, and will be our annual department orientation (also known as the "show and tell"). During these sessions, everyone will have 1.5 minutes to introduce themselves and provide a brief overview of their work. This is a great chance to get to know the diversity of research within our department, the faces behind the names, and everyone's favorite hobbies and interests.
- Host: Nicholas Stone
Friday, September 4th, 2026
- Physics Department Colloquium
- Anderson, Lawler, Lin Colloquium
- Lessons from Physics, Academia and Washington - Can we save science?
- Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Place: Chamberlin 2241
- Speaker: Neal Lane, former NSF Director and Clinton Administration Science Advisor
- Abstract: Lessons from my thesis advisor and the physics community shaped my career, including government service. I will share some experiences from my time at NSF and the White House that affect my views about how science and academia are being treated today. Finally, perhaps we can speculate on the question – can we save science in America?
- Host: Chun Lin