Enrique “Kiko” Galvez as part of the Formal Lecture Series.
Professor Galvez describes his lecture: "Phenomena at the microscopic level or at low light levels challenge our understanding because they are unlike anything that we are used to in our macroscopic (classical) world. Quantum mechanics explains
all of it, but not without leaving us with a sense of puzzlement or even skepticism at some of the concepts it predicts, such as superposition and entanglement. After many years of doubt and verification, these concepts have moved from being treated as curiosities to being embraced and further used in emerging technologies, with the current quest being the quantum computer. We use light to uncover these challenges, to get a grasp of the quantum rules, and to understand what motivates the second quantum revolution."
Professor Galvez has been instrumental in the setting up of St. John's College's quantum optics laboratory. He designed the experiments that we currently use in the senior laboratory and trained Mr. Daly and a group of tutors during two summer immersion programs at Colgate University. In addition, Professor Galvez has generously offered advice and assistance, not only in troubleshooting, but in improving the quality of our experiments.