Zohreh Davoudi, Ph.D.
Department of Physics University of Maryland, College Park
I am an Assistant Professor of Physics. The focus of my research is on simulating complex systems in nature arising from the most fundamental particles and interactions underlying them, or their effective descriptions. Here you will have a glimpse into my research and educational activities as a theoretical physicist.
Research Priorities
My research can be cast into four categories shown below. The underlying theme is to use simulation tools, classical and quantum, to study complex systems in nature arising from interactions of the Standard Model of Particle physics, in particular the strong interactions.
LATTICE GAUGE THEORY: FORMAL DEVELOPMENTS
Developing the mapping between physical quantities such as multi-hadron scattering amplitudes and transition rates and the numerical simulation of strong interactions in a finite discretized spacetime.
The members of my group in the academic year 2021-2022 include:
Research Group
DR. NIKLAS MUELLER
Post-doc researcher
CHUNG-CHUN HSIEH
Ph.D. student and research assistant
CONNOR
POWERS
Ph.D. student and research assistant
ALEXANDER SHAW
Ph.D. student and research fellow
DR. JESSE STRYKER
Post-doc researcher
SAURABH
KADAM
Ph.D. student and research assistant
JAKE
BRINGEWATT
Ph.D. student and research fellow
The former members or affiliate members of the group include:
DR. INDRAKSHI
RAYCHOWDHURY
Indrakshi was a post-doc with us from 2019-2021 and has now joined Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani in Goa as a faculty.
DR. ANIRUDDHA BAPAT
Ani was a Ph.D. student with QuICS and affiliated with our group from 2019-2021. He is now a post-doc researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
ANDREW SHAW
Andrew was a Ph.D. student with us from 2018-2020. He is involved in other research now.
Media Appearance Highlight
The 2016 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate at the American Museum of Natural History, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Panelists: David Chalmers (NYU), Zohreh Davoudi (MIT), James Gates (University of Maryland), Lisa Randall (Harvard), and Max Tegmark (MIT).
Science Outreach Highlight
TED-ED lesson on "Are we living in a simulation?". Lesson writer: Zohreh Davoudi. Directed by Eoin Duffy, narrated by Christina Greer, music by QB Sound.
Research explained...
April 2020
"Charting a Course Toward Quantum Simulations of Nuclear Physics", a piece written by Bailey Bedford of the Joint Quantum Institute regarding our work on analog simulations of gauge theories.
Spring 2017
"Nuclear Physics in the Spotlight: From exploring nature’s most extreme environments to testing its most fundamental symmetries", invited contribution to KITP's newsletter
Winter 2019
"Is the Universe Real?", Brian Bergstein's piece in Medium.com regarding our paper on simulation hypothesis.
Winter 2016
"Proton-Proton Fusion: Powering the Sun: Large-scale simulations of quarks promise precise view of reactions of astrophysical importance.", Department of Energy's Office of Science Highlight.
Spring 2019
An interview by Matthew Wright of the University of Maryland regarding my research awarded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Winter 2013
A general-audience presentation of my work on simulation hypothesis with Martin Savage and Silas Beane. The images and text are based on a talk presented at the Art Institute of Seattle .