Prehistoric Quantum Bits: Experiments Testing the Fundamental Physics Of Superconducting Quantum Devices
April 10, 2026 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Pran and Shashi Nath Distinguished Lecture 2026
Friday, April 10, 2026
3:00-5:30pm
EXP 804 and Atrium – Register here.
Held annually by the Department of Physics, the Nath Distinguished Lecture Series celebrates discoveries and significant advances on the frontiers of physics and to recognize Northeastern University’s unique contribution to knowledge enhancement witnessed by Pran Nath and Shashi Nath over nearly six decades of their association with the university.
This year’s lecture features 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics recipient Prof. John Martinis of UC Santa Barbara and Qolab, who will be speaking on Prehistoric quantum bits: experiments testing the fundamental physics of superconducting quantum devices.
Agenda
2:15 PM Doors open for pre-reception
3:00 PM Lecture begins
4:30 PM Networking reception
This event is complimentary, but registration is required to ensure a quality experience for all. Register here.
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Featured Speaker
John Martinis, PhD
UC Santa Barbara and Qolab
2025 Nobel Prize in Physics
Lecture Abstract
Quantum mechanics was developed to describe the physics of the small, for fundamental particles, atoms and molecules. But does it still work for macroscopic systems? My PhD thesis experiment in 1985 tested this idea, showing the macroscopic current and voltages in a 1 cm chip obey the quantum phenomena of tunneling and energy-level quantization, proving that a superconducting circuit can behave as a single ‘artificial atom.’
Over the last four decades, many physicists around the world have continued research on quantum devices. The field has evolved from fundamental tests into a high-stakes effort to build quantum bits and a quantum computer. At Google, our ‘quantum supremacy’ experiment was the culmination of this system-level optimization, proving that a processor could outpace classical supercomputers by maintaining high-fidelity control over a huge computational (Hilbert) space. Now, at my startup Qolab, we are leveraging 300mm semiconductor fabrication to achieve the extreme uniformity and yield necessary to build a useful general-purpose quantum computer.