»
The Aharonov–Berry Symposium in Quantum Physics
Acknowledging the conceptual foundations that continue to influence modern quantum theory.
Chapman University, in Orange County, California,
Monday, September 28 – Wednesday, September 30
The Aharonov–Berry Symposium in Quantum Physics is an annual international event dedicated to the foundational, conceptual, and emerging frontiers of quantum physics. The symposium honours the scientific legacy of Yakir Aharonov and Sir Michael Berry, whose pioneering contributions to quantum phases, topology, weak measurements, superoscillations, and the geometric structure of physical theories have profoundly shaped modern physics.
The symposium aims to provide an intellectually rigorous, interdisciplinary forum where leading theorists, experimentalists, mathematicians, and philosophers of physics engage in discussions of the deepest questions surrounding quantum mechanics and its applications. Topics span quantum foundations, geometric and topological phenomena, quantum information science, quantum technologies, structured waves, nonlocality and contextuality, measurement theory, and emerging directions at the interface of physics and mathematics.
A central goal of the symposium is to foster meaningful interaction between internationally recognised scientists and the next generation of researchers. By bringing together senior leaders, early-career scientists, students, and policymakers, the event seeks to cultivate an environment that encourages mentorship, collaboration, and critical discussion about the future directions of quantum science and the broader importance of fundamental research.
Through invited lectures, panel discussions, and interdisciplinary exchanges, the symposium aspires to become a distinctive platform for advancing both the conceptual understanding and technological future of quantum physics.
Registration: A $250 fee for non-institute attendees will be collected to cover catering (lunches and coffee breaks), and the link to payment will be sent privately after registration
Key Topics
· Foundations: The Aharonov-Bohm, Berry, and Pancharatnam phases and their generalisations.
· Applications in Materials and Optics: Geometric and topological phases in optics, condensed matter, topological materials, and photonics inspired by Berry curvature.
· Experimental Realisations: Modern implementations, new forms of geometric control, and quantum simulation of geometric effects.
· Quantum Technologies: Applications of geometric phases in quantum communication, computation, and sensing.
Speakers
Sir Michael Berry | University of Bristol
Alexandra Boltasseva | Purdue University
Justin Dressel | Chapman University
Filippo Capolino | University of California, Irvine
Avshalom Elitzur | Chapman University
Eric Heller | Harvard University
John Howell | Chapman University
Andrew Jordan | Chapman University
Ebrahim Karimi | Chapman University
Matthew Leifer | Chapman University
Tomoki Ozawa | Tohoku University
Sandu Popescu | University of Bristol
Vladimir Shalaev | Purdue University
Irfan Siddiqi | UC Berkeley
Aephraim Steinberg | University of Toronto
Daniele Struppa | Chapman University
Tadashi Tokieda | Stanford University
Lev Vaidman | Tel Aviv University
Paolo Zanardi | University of Southern California
Agenda
DAY 0— SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
17:00 - 18:00 :
Welcome Reception
LOCATION: CHAPMAN CRAFTED
123 N CYPRESS ST, ORANGE, CA 92866
DAY 1 — MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
Quantum Foundations, Superoscillations, and Quantum Phenomena
MORNING SESSION: CHAIR:
DANIELE STRUPPA
QUANTUM FOUNDATIONS AND NONLOCALITY
08:00-9:00 Breakfast
08:45–09:00 Opening Remarks with Andrew Jordan and Daniele Struppa
09:00–09:45 Yakir Aharonov—Beyond Quantum Mechanics (45 min)
09:45–10:20 Justin Dressel—Quantum Mechanics Without Tails (35 min)
10:20–10:50 Coffee Break
10:50–11:25 Avshalom Elitzur—New Physical Symmetries Revealed by Post-
selection and Their Promises (35 min)
11:25–12:00 Lev Vaidman—Quantum Nonlocality (35 min)
12:00–12:25 Salvadore Virzi—Universal Protection of Quantum States Against
Decoherence (25 min)
12:25–13:55 Lunch
AFTERNOON SESSION: CHAIR: EMILY ADLAM
SUPEROSCILLATIONS AND WAVE-BASED QUANTUM PHENOMENA
13:55–14:30 Andrew Jordan - Wronskian Approach to Create Superenergy
Wavefunctions in a Spatial Region (35 min)
14:30–15:05 Daniele Struppa—Approximating the Weierstrass Function with
Superoscillations: The Bernstein and Lagrange Cases (35 min)
15:05–15:35 Coffee Break
15:35–16:10 Irfan Sidiqqi—Direct Measurement of Topological Phases in
Discrete-Time Quantum Walks (35 min)
16:10–16:35 Barbara Soda—One-Shot Escaping Superoscillations (25 min)
16:35–17:00 Ebrahim Karimi—On the Popper thought experiment (25 min)
17:00–17:35 John Howell—Surprising Superoscillations (35 min)
17:35–18:30 Poster Session
DAY 2 — TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
Geometric Phases, Topology, and Structured Waves
MORNING SESSION: EBRAHIM KARIMI
BERRY PHASES, GEOMETRY, AND QUANTUM CONTROL
08:00–09:00 Breakfast
09:00–09:45 Sir Michael Berry—Wave Trajectories, Quantum Potential, and
Superoscillations: Madelung, de Broglie, Newton (45 min)
09:45–10:20 Tomoki Ozawa—Aharonov–Bohm Effect and the Berry Phase in Non-
Hermitian Systems (35 min)
10:20–10:50 Coffee Break
10:50–11:25 Alexandra Boltasseva—Transparent conducting oxides enable zero-
index and ultra-fast optics (35 minutes)
11:25–12:00 Filippo Capolino—Berry Curvature for Terahertz Optoelectronics (35
min)
12:00–13:30 Lunch
AFTERNOON SESSION: NOOSHIN M. ESTAKHRI
STRUCTURED WAVES, QUANTUM WALKS, AND PHOTONIC DYNAMICS
13:30–14:05 Vlad Shalaev—Extreme Optics with Near-Zero-Index Materials (35
min)
14:05–14:40 Sandu Popescu—Charge Acceleration Without Radiation (35 min)
14:40–15:05 Charles Clark—Neutrons: From Bouncing Ball to Self-Accelerating
Particle Beams (25 min)
15:05–15:35 Coffee Break
15:35–16:10 Paolo Zanardi—Quantum Computing with Geometry, Non-Abelian
Holonomies, and the Quantum Computational Power of Gauge Theories (35 min)
16:10–16:35 Alessio D’Errico—Geometry, Topology, and Entanglement in
Programmable Photonic Quantum Walks (25 min)
16:35–17:10 Aephraim Steinberg—A Tale of Two Situations: It Was the Last of
Times, It Was the First of Times, It Was a Narrowband Photon, It Was a Short Pulse
(35 min)
Gala: RSVP ONLY
17:45–18:15 Happy Hour on the Beckman Hall 4 Floor Patioth
18:15–19:15 Dinner
19:15–19:45 Performance by 2023 Grammy Award winner Ms.
Sahba Motallebi
19:45–20:00 Award Ceremony
DAY 3 — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Morning Session: Andrew Jordan
Physical Insight, Quantum Interference, and Quantum Optics
08:00–09:00 Breakfast
09:00–9:45 Tadashi Tokieda—A Magic Show (45 min)
09:55–10:20 Eric Heller—Classical Correspondence Under Stress: New
Results in Quantum Chaology (35 min)
10:20–10:50 Coffee Break
10:50–11:25 Matthew Leifer—A de Broglie–Bohm Approach to Weyl-
Invariant Theories: Implications for the Aharonov–Bohm Effect (35 min)
11:25–11:50 Yutaka Shikano—Aharonov–Bohm Effect with Tunneling (25
min)
11:50–12:15 Marko Cosic—Asymptotics of the Quantum Bouncer
Superbehavior (25 min)
12:15-12:40 Najirul Islam—Polarization-Squeezed Light from Two
Entangled Two-Level Atoms (25 min)
12:40–14:00 Lunch
14:00–18:00 Social Excursion: Beach Visit