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A talk on Quantum materials—where emergence and topology unlock the building blocks of the quantum revolution in computing, communication, and sensing
Speaker Name
Prof. Venkataraman Swaminathan
September 3, 2025
04:00 PM
KCB 222
|SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Venkataraman (“Swami”) Swaminathan received his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Southern California in 1975. He spent 24 years at Bell Laboratories working on fiber optic communications and fiber-to-the-home technologies, holding senior management roles. He later served as Chief of the IR Materials and Devices Branch (2004–2006) and the Acoustics and Networked Sensors Division (2008–2014) at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and CCDC Armaments Center, leading R&D in sensors, infrared technologies, and counter-IED systems. From 2015–2017, he was a Research Scientist at CCDC, focusing on nanomaterials, energy storage, neuromorphic computing, and photonics. In recognition of his retirement, the flag of the United States of America was flown over the United States Capitol, at the request of Honorable Leonard Lance, Member of Congress.
|ABSTRACT
We are entering the Quantum Information Age, powered by the discovery and control of quantum materials. These materials display extraordinary properties—high-temperature superconductivity, topologically protected states, and exotic quasiparticles—that defy classical physics. This talk introduces the field through two guiding ideas: emergence, where collective behaviors exceed the sum of individual parts, and topology, where global invariants yield robust states of matter. Using examples from superconductors, graphene, kagome lattices, and nitrogen-vacancy centers, we will explore how quantum effects such as superposition, entanglement, and coherence drive next-generation technologies. The talk concludes with a forward look at challenges and opportunities in this exciting frontier.
