Members

Mike Zaletel
email: mikezaletel (at) berkeley.edu

My research focuses on theoretical condensed matter physics and its intersection with quantum information and computational approaches. I'm interested in developing new computational methods for attacking the quantum many-body problem, finding conceptually interesting problems to apply them to, and working closely with experimentalists to see whether anything we're saying actually makes sense. Most recently I've beening thinking about fractional quantum Hall physics, non-Abelian anyons, and their potential for quantum computing; strongly-correlated phenomena in "moire materials" like twisted bilayer graphene; frustrated magnetism and spin liquids; formal aspects of topological order and their interplay with symmetry; and exploring many-body physics in AMO systems and near-term quantum computers. I received a degree in steer wrangling from Deep Springs College, an AB with highest honors in physics from Harvard University in 2009, and a Ph.D. at Berkeley working with Professor Joel Moore. In 2018, after a postdoctoral position in at Microsoft Research Station Q and a year as a faculty member at Princeton, I returned to Berkeley as the Thomas and Alison Schneider Chair in Physics. I was happy to receive the 2018 McMillan Award, 2020 Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, and the 2022 DOE Career Award.

Ruihua Fan
email: ruihua_fan (at) berkeley.edu

Ethan Lake
email: elake (at) berkeley.edu

Zhihuan Dong
email: (at) berkeley.edu

My research aims to unravel insights into interplay between interactions, kinetic energy and band topology. One of the settings where all these elements are present is the moir\'e structures, which has been studied intensely over the last few years. To make progress in this field, I apply and develop theoretical and numerical tools adapted to the problems.

Tianle Wang
email: tianle_wang (at) berkeley.edu

I am a fifth-year grad student starting in 2019. I grew up in Xi'an, China and finished my undergrad at Peking University. My current interest lies in low-dimensional electron systems (moiré materials, quantum Hall systems, Luttinger liquid, etc.), where I apply theoretical and numerical tools to study the close interplay between strongly-correlated physics and topological phases of matter. I'm also interested in the formal aspects of symmetry, topology, and entanglement in many-body physics. Beyond academics, I enjoy classical music, hiking, and exploring my neighborhood.

Stefan Divic
email: stefan_divic (at) berkeley.edu

I'm a grad student interested in quantum many-body systems in two dimensions. Recently, I have been trying to understand (1) the behavior of interacting electrons in partially-filled topological bands, and (2) the universal non-equilibrium dynamics of bosons coupled to a noisy environment. Prior to joining Mike's group, I did my undergrad in my hometown, Toronto, Canada.

Sajant Anand
email: sajant (at) berkeley.edu

Hello! I am interested in far too many research topics spanning physics and CS but am currently working on tensor networks methods for efficient classical and quantum simulations. Outside of research, I enjoy practicing classical flute, playing squash, and baking desserts.

Taige Wang
email: tgwang (at) berkeley.edu

I am a thrid year graduate student studying various moiré systems and fractional quantum Hall systems with numerical methods. I was born in Germany, grew up in China, and came to US for college. Outside research, I enjoy reading novels, going to concert and baking desserts.

Gabriel Woolls
email: gwoolls (at) berkeley.edu

Shahin Jahanbani
email: shahin_jahanbani (at) berkeley.edu

I’m a Physics PhD student at Berkeley. My current research involves tensor network methods and their applications in studying emergent quantum many-body phenomena. You can check my recent publications on my Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wXuGb3oAAAAJ&hl=en

Vibhu Ravindran
email: vibhu.ravindran (at) berkeley.edu

I am a fourth year undergraduate at Berkeley majoring in math and physics. I am currently working on tensor network methods for critical systems but am also interested in a wide range of topics spanning condensed matter theory, generalized symmetries and quantum information. Outside of academics I like to play the violin, read science fiction and go on hikes.

Howard Meng
email: howardm12138 (at) berkeley.edu

I'm a fourth-year undergraduate studying physics and computer science. I am interested in leveraging computational methods to tackle intricate problems in condensed matter physics. In my free time, I like to cook and explore tasty food spots around Berkeley. I also enjoy playing guitar and engaging in outdoor activities such as badminton and hiking.