Prospective Members

Who should consider joining?

The group is a good fit for those interested in some combination of the following areas:

  • Quantum many-body theory
  • AMO theory and engineered quantum systems
  • Strongly correlated electrons
  • Computational condensed matter physics
  • Quantum information and quantum simulation
  • Scientific computing and open-source research software

Students/Postdocs do not need to arrive with the same background; projects can be tailored to emphasize analytical theory, numerical work, algorithm design, or experiment-facing modeling.

Current directions

Typical project directions

  • Correlated lattice models and emergent quantum phases
  • Ultracold atoms, molecules, and driven quantum matter
  • Quantum algorithms and benchmark design
  • Measurement-based quantum computing and graph-state methods
  • Large-scale computation and reusable software/data resources

Read the QPatLib paper →

Preparation

Helpful background

  • Quantum mechanics and statistical physics
  • Condensed matter, AMO, or quantum information coursework
  • Python, numerical methods, or scientific programming
Graduate Student Applicants

How to apply

Apply through the Virginia Tech Physics graduate program and, if you are interested in this group, send a short email describing your interests.

Virginia Tech Physics graduate admissions →

Postdoc Applicants

What to send

  • A brief email describing research interests
  • CV or resume
  • Optional links to code/papers

scarola@vt.edu

Get in touch. If you are interested in working with the group, send a brief email describing your interests along with your CV or resume.