Bio

I graduated from Reed College with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a thesis titled “Issues with First Quantization Quantum Mechanics on Curved Space-Times.” I have research experience in general relativity, cosmology, chaos and quantum mechanics, but also have an ever-growing range of interests and an itch to tackle new problems both in and outside of physics. My current obsessions are with quantum statistical mechanics and linguistic typology. I will be joining NASA’s Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer mission as a science planner immediately following my time at Wolfram. I make the deliberate choice to break form because writing about myself in the third person feels strange.

When I’m not doing research, you can find me tossing a Frisbee, working on my van or trying to learn something new.

Project: Quantum Computing Made Easy

My project involved the design and development of a suite of functions that allows for the simulation of quantum computing algorithms. The overarching goal was a framework that allows for easy implementation of quantum circuits, with minimal work done by the user. The specific design challenges were to have a tool simple enough to be used as an educational aide and powerful enough for researchers. To this end, circuits can be built iteratively, allowing students and those new to quantum computing to build a working knowledge of the field as they increase the complexity of the algorithms. The system has a universal set of gates, allowing it to carry out any operation possible for a quantum computer (up to limits on the number of qubits due to the size of the register).

Favorite 3-Color 2D Totalistic Cellular Automaton

Rule 41500

Rule 41500 exhibits irregular and complex edge behavior: