Events on Monday, March 23rd, 2026
- Plasma Physics (Physics/ECE/NE 922) Seminar
- Statistical equilibrium model for stellarators
- Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- Place: Engineering Hall 1227
- Speaker: Joshua W. Burby, University of Texas at Austin
- Abstract: In three dimensional toroidal domains without symmetry, the standard magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium model used for magnetic confinement fusion does not generally support smooth solutions. This leads to both unphysical singular plasma currents on resonant flux surfaces and non- or slow convergence of numerical approximations under refinement. In this work, we present an improved equilibrium principle derived from a simple statistical model for plasma fluctuations. Instead of being static, we assume that the plasma magnetic field is ergodically and rapidly fluctuating relative to the MHD time scale. By averaging the resulting force, we derive a variational equilibrium problem for the statistical mean magnetic field which depends on fluctuation variance. Then, through asymptotics, numerical simulations, and a Grad-Shafranov type argument, we show that the variational principle supports smooth solutions for specific fluctuation statistics chosen to minimally modify the standard equilibrium modeling paradigm. Physically, this model smooths singular current sheets with a length scale determined by the magnetic field fluctuations.
- Theory Seminar (High Energy/Cosmology)
- Collapsing Halo Cores with Self-Interacting Dark Matter
- Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
- Place: Chamberlin 5280
- Speaker: Kimberly K. Boddy, University Texas, Austin
- Abstract: Large self interactions between dark matter particles alter the predicted properties of dark matter halos and may help address small-scale structure anomalies, while maintaining the successes of standard cold dark matter at large cosmological scales. Self interactions allow for efficient heat transfer within a halo, but they also alter the dynamics of satellite subhalos. In this talk, I will discuss how the choice of the particle physics model for self interactions, as well as the astrophysical environment, impacts the phases of halo/subhalo evolution. Video recording:
- Host: Dan Hooper
- Wisconsin Quantum Institute
- Engineering the Quantum Future — A Donald Kerst Lecture Series
- Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Place: Shannon Hall, Memorial Union
- Speaker: John Martinis, QoLab, UCSB
- Abstract: The WUD Distinguished Lecture Series and College of Letters and Science are excited to welcome John Martinis. “John Martinis: Engineering the Quantum Future” is a Donald Kerst Lecture Series and will feature a 60-minute lecture followed by a 30-minute audience Q&A. This is a free event taking place in Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall at 7:00 pm on March 23rd.
John Martinis is a distinguished physicist and 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics, renowned for his pioneering contributions to superconducting quantum computing. His research has been central to developing high-fidelity qubits and engineering the architectures needed for scalable quantum processors. He previously led Google’s quantum hardware team, where his group achieved the landmark 2019 quantum supremacy experiment — the first demonstration of a quantum computer outperforming the world’s most powerful classical supercomputer on a computational task. In 2022, he co-founded Qolab, where he now serves as CTO and continues to advance next-generation superconducting qubit technology and quantum system design.
Tickets are free but required. They will be available on March 16th at 2:00 pm.
CART captioning is provided with ASL interpretation upon request. - Host: Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series