Workshop: Is Quantum Theory exact? Exploring Quantum Boundaries.

Europe/Rome
Catalina Curceanu
Description

 

The aim of the workshop is to discuss the possible boundaries and limits of validity of the quantum mechanics theory and the implications of this research in various sectors.

From the theoretical point of view, since the famous Einstein-Bohr debate, quantum mechanics never stopped raising deep questions about its meaning. In particular, the transition from the microscopic world, where systems are observed in a superposition of quantum states, to the macroscopic world, where systems have well defined properties, such as position (the so-called “measurement problem”), still puzzles the scientific community and philosophers. For this reason, (some) scientists are pushed to look for explanations, including theories beyond the standard quantum one.

From the experimental point of view, quantum mechanics is, undoubtedly, the best verified available theory and a pillar to all our science. It is therefore a very compelling challenge to look for possible small violations predicted by alternative quantum theories. The aim is either to put stronger observational bounds on the new theories, i.e. on model's parameters, or, much more exciting, to find a violation of standard quantum mechanics when compared with the new theories' predictions. In this framework, a deeper understanding of the possible limits of validity of the quantum superposition principle is an interesting experimental challenge.

The workshop also represents the kick-off of the FQXi project (FQXi-RFP-CPW-2008) ICON: Novel intertwined theoretical and experimental approach to test the ORCHestrated Objective Reduction theory as physical basis of consciousness, and is supported by the UE-H2020-FETOPEN-2016-2017
TEQ  project- Testing the Large-Scale limit of Quantum Mechanics  (G.A. n. 766900 FET-TEQ).


 

Organizers:

Catalina Curceanu (LNF-INFN) , Chair

Magdalena Skurzok (LNF-INFN)

Kristian Piscicchia (Centro Fermi)

Fabrizio Napolitano (LNF-INFN)

 


The workshop will take place online, on webex platform.
For those who wish to get an overwiew of how webex works we recommend:

https://help.webex.com/en-us/9eed9t/Get-Started-Joining-a-Meeting-Event-or-Training-Session-with-the-Webex-Meetings-Web-App
The webex links to the workshop (one for each day) will be sent the day before the workshop.

The program timing refers to the UTC+1 time zone (i.e. Italy timing)

 


 

Participants
  • Thursday 10 December
    • 09:30 10:00
      Welcome 30m
      Speaker: Fabio Bossi (LNF-INFN Director); Catalina Curceanu
    • 10:00 11:00
      Session: Morning #1
      Convener: Beatrix Hiesmayr (University of Vienna)
    • 10:00 10:30
      What makes the universe tick: searching for the quantum origins of time 30m
      Speaker: Joan Vaccaro
    • 10:30 11:00
      Quantum superposition of processes with opposing thermodynamic arrows of time 30m
      Speaker: Caslav Brukner
    • 11:00 11:15
      Coffee break 15m
    • 11:15 11:45
      Collapse Models 30m
      Speaker: Angelo Bassi
    • 11:15 12:45
      Session: Morning #2
      Convener: Beatrix Hiesmayr (University of Vienna)
    • 11:45 12:15
      The dynamics of difference 30m
      Speaker: Lee Smolin
    • 12:15 12:45
      How effectively can we test Quantum Gravity with Underground Experiments? 30m
      Speaker: Antonino Marcianò
    • 12:45 14:00
      Lunch break 1h 15m
    • 14:00 15:30
      Session: Afternoon #1
      Convener: Kristian Piscicchia
    • 14:00 14:30
      Testing fundamental physics with trapped particles 30m
      Speaker: Hendrik Ulbricht
    • 14:30 15:00
      Can quantum metrology solve some of the biggest questions in fundamental physics? 30m
      Speaker: Ivette Fuentes Guridi
    • 15:00 15:30
      Advances on quantum advantage with photons 30m
      Speaker: Fabio Sciarrino
    • 15:30 15:45
      Coffee break 15m
    • 15:45 17:45
      Session: Afternoon #2
      Convener: Kristian Piscicchia
    • 15:45 16:15
      Testing collapse models using levitated nano-oscillators 30m
      Speaker: Peter Barker
    • 16:15 16:45
      In 100 years from quantum physics to quantum biology. How long to quantum medicine? 30m
      Speaker: Jack Tuszynski
    • 16:45 17:15
      Probing a Gravitational cat state: Theoretical issues and experimental possibilities 30m
      Speaker: Maaneli Derakhshani
    • 17:15 17:45
      Between the performed measurements of quantum fields 30m
      Speaker: Peter Morgan
  • Friday 11 December
    • 08:45 09:00
      Welcome 15m
      Speaker: Catalina Curceanu
    • 09:00 09:30
      CAN A QUBIT BE YOUR FRIEND? Why experimental metaphysics needs a quantum computer 30m
      Speaker: Howard Wiseman
    • 09:00 11:00
      Session: Morning #1
      Convener: Magdalena Skurzok (L)
    • 09:30 10:00
      Perspectives for the investigations of quantum entanglement of high energy photons with the J-PET scanner 30m
      Speaker: Paweł Moskal
    • 10:00 10:30
      Entanglement in higher dimensions reveals novel structures of the set of separable states 30m
      Speaker: Beatrix C. Hiesmayr
    • 10:30 11:00
      Sequential weak measurements for reutilizing entanglement 30m
      Speaker: Giulio Foletto
    • 11:00 11:15
      Coffee break 15m
    • 11:15 11:45
      Search for Dark Matter bosons through precise isotope shift measurements in Ca+ ions 30m
      Speaker: Michael Drewsen
    • 11:15 13:15
      Session: Morning #2
      Convener: Magdalena Skurzok (L)
    • 11:45 12:15
      Pauli Exclusion Principle violations and quantum gravity 30m
      Speaker: Andrea Addazi
    • 12:15 12:45
      The Diósi-Penrose model under X-rays 30m
      Speaker: Sandro Donadi
    • 12:45 13:15
      Why nonlinearity? 30m
      Speaker: Tamas Geszti
    • 13:15 14:30
      Lunch break 1h 15m
    • 14:30 16:00
      Session: Afternoon #1
      Convener: Catalina Oana Curceanu (LNF)
    • 14:30 15:00
      The "strange" entanglement of neutral K mesons: a powerful tool and a case study 30m
      Speaker: Antonio di Domenico
    • 15:00 15:30
      Schrödinger-Newton equation: fundamental difficulties and attempts to relax them 30m
      Speaker: Lajos Diosi
    • 15:30 16:00
      An underground survey of Quantum Mechanics foundations 30m
      Speaker: Kristian Piscicchia
    • 16:00 16:15
      Coffee break 15m
    • 16:15 17:15
      Effective Retro-activity in Quantum State Reduction 1h
      Speaker: Roger Penrose – Guest Lecturer
    • 16:15 17:45
      Session: Afternoon #2
      Convener: Catalina Oana Curceanu (LNF)
    • 17:15 17:45
      Consciousness and the collapse of the wave function 30m
      Speaker: Kelvin McQueen
    • 17:45 18:00
      Closing of the workshop 15m
      Speaker: Catalina Curceanu