People

Opportunities

Joining the group

We welcome inquiries from students and researchers who are excited by mathematically rigorous, computationally ambitious work in quantum and materials science. Formal funded openings will be posted here when available.

Graduate students

Preparation for research in the group is best viewed as a path rather than a checklist. Students do not need to arrive with expertise in all of these areas. We welcome inquiries from motivated students with a foundation in applied mathematics, curiosity about quantum and materials science, and enthusiasm for developing the tools needed to work at their intersection.

During the early stages of the PhD, students preparing to work in this area should build familiarity with:

• Matrix calculus
• Iterative solvers
• Low-rank and sparse representations
• Gradient-based and other descent algorithms
• Techniques for nonconvex and constrained optimization

At RPI, MATH 6800, Computational Linear Algebra, and MATP 6610, Computational Optimization, are natural course choices for developing this foundation.

Students should also plan to develop a solid programming foundation early in the program. CSCI 1100, Computer Science I, and CSCI 1200, Data Structures, or equivalent coursework provide a useful starting point.

Prior specialization in quantum theory is not required. What matters is curiosity about the subject and a willingness to develop familiarity with:

• Hilbert-space formalism
• The Schrödinger equation
• Operator methods at the level of Sakurai's Modern Quantum Mechanics or Griffiths' Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Students can build this foundation during the early stages of the PhD through courses such as PHYS 6510, Quantum Mechanics I, and MATH 6890, Mathematical Foundations of Modern Quantum Many-Body Theory.

Undergraduate research

Undergraduate projects are considered based on preparation, research fit, and available mentoring capacity. Interested students should include their program, relevant coursework, programming experience, and a short description of their interests when writing.