Stem Seminar

For the past two summers I worked as a Research Assistant on Wright Patt Air Force Base in a Physical Chemistry lab. I really liked the work there, especially because so the Physical Chemistry that the lab worked with had to deal a lot with quantum mechanics. Every single day I learned something new about the way the universe worked that just absolutely blew my mind. Quantum Mechanics and all of the mystical ways that it works, even if its not really magic, does seem pretty magical. That is why I really wanted to go to a seminar about Quantum Mechanics even if I am currently choosing to study computer science. This is especially true because I knew that this seminar would touch on Quantum Computing, which is actually super interesting to me and could even be something that I am looking into working with in the future. Only time will tell.

I met one of my friends, Cassie, as pictured, a physics major who I knew understood a few things about Quantum Mechanics herself, to go to the seminar with. We went to a seminar called “Quantum Information Seminar Series and Optical Science Seminar – Quantum Weirdness and Quantum Technology.” The speaker’s name was Bill Plink, from the University of Dayton, which just happens to be my hometown so that was a cool connection as well. He made a great analogy for Quantum Mechanics in that it is two connected wizard boxes and that they are able to somehow “communicate” with each other instantly. His analogy was detailed, but I feel that even someone who doesn’t understand anything about quantum mechanics could follow pretty clearly, even if the connection to the real world quantum mechanics to be a little tricky. Never the less, it was a very interesting seminar that gave a good overview of quantum mechanics and was able to also touch on the possible applications of the science. For example, he spoke in detail about how quantum communication could be used to perfectly encrypt information and not allow anybody else to access it. A technology that is actually in the making and one that I believe will be a reality someday. He also spoke about quantum computing and how it can solve some of the worlds biggest questions hundreds of thousands of years faster than any classical computer we have today. Now this might all seem like crazy technology that will never be a reality, but one of the main points of his talk is how this technology is not nearly as far away as it sounds. I was more surprised that the seminar didn’t go into more detail about quantum mechanics though. I thought that since it was given to professors, grad students and undergrads, that it would include more higher level ideas that would go way over my head. But actually, it was a great talk for somebody like me, who knows a few things about the field, but is not an active member in it. Overall, the seminar was a pretty good experience and I did have fun going. Plus I got to see my good friend there too so that made it even better!

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