Aakash L
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Northwestern University
Expertise
My work is on quantum computing but I can tutor across any subject in physics
Bio
Hi! My name is Aakash Lakshmanan and I am currently pursuing my doctorate in theoretical physics. My work is in the field of quantum computing but, more broadly, I am interested in the field of "quantum thermodynamics." I have been researching since high school and love all parts of math and physics, something which I am very excited to share with you! I have a deep passion for teaching which I have done through private tutoring, teaching assistantships, and research mentoring. To me, there are a few important skills to develop in order to become an effective researcher: learning to think in both a creative and critical manner, having the confidence to push forward independent thought, and developing an attitude of resilience and growth. It is these skills in tandem with each student's individual strengths and passions that I hope to nurture over the course of my mentorship. Outside of physics, I love to read, swim, and go to movies. I grew up most of my life in Illinois but I studied abroad in the UK for several years. I hope we can get to know each other better through this process!Project ideas
Simulating Coherence Times of Qubits
The field of quantum computing is still formulating the best platform for realizing its quantum bits or qubits. Many of these considerations center around the impact of noise, that is stochasticity in the environment which perturb the system. In this project, we would use simulations in Python or Julia to model different qubits and their behavior around different types of noise and see if we can observe any general trends about these relationships. The project would entail various skills and ideas. We would learn what a qubit is and how they are modeled, the process of running and analyzing numerical simulations in Python and/or Julia, the different ways to characterize noise (see pink noise, white noise, brown noise, etc.), and how to find and deconstruct relevant literature. The ultimate goal here would be to write a paper or at least a small note summarizing our findings, potentially with recommendations on how to design more robust qubits given the results we find.