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Non-local quantum computation (NLQC) is a subject within quantum information theory. NLQC considers, in a certain setting, with how local interactions can be simulated with distributed entanglement plus communication. NLQC has recently become well connected to several other areas, including communication complexity, cryptography, AdS/CFT, and computational complexity theory. This course will focus on learning the basics of NLQC, and then on understanding its applications in these other areas.

This course will cover the basics from my book, https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.12076. It is about operational probabilistic theories. The standard approach in such theories is, implicitly, from a time forward perspective. On the other hand, we will mostly take a time symmetric perspective. The course will consists of two parts: (1) a "simple part" about simple operations having simple causal structure (where all the inputs are before all the outputs); and (2) a "complex part" about complex operations that can have complicated causal structure (a complex operation comes equipped with a causal diagram). For the simple case we are able to show that the time symmetric perspective is equivalent to the time forward perspective. In each of these two parts we set up (A) operational probabilistic theories (OPTs) in terms of operations, (B) Operational Quantum Theory (OQT) in terms of operator tensors which correspond to operations, and (C) the theory of Hilbert objects which can be doubled up to give operator tensors. Operations are required to be physical. Physicality guarantees that circuits built out of operations have probabilities between 0 and 1 and that certain causality conditions are met. We prove composition theorems for both simple and complex operations -- that when we wire together operations the resulting networks are also physical (these theorems are especially interesting in the case of complex operations).The theory of complex operations can be used to model physics happening in (discrete) spacetime. We use this to address Sorkin's impossible measurements. It turns out that if the operations are physical then there is no anomalous signaling. We develop new diagrammatic notation to deal with Hilbert objects, particularly in the complex case. We discuss the conjuposition group of transformations on Hilbert objects. This includes mirrors to notate doubling up and some mirror theorems. We use this framework to prove time symmetric causal dilation theorems for a variety of causal diagrams.

Virtual Participation Link: https://pitp.zoom.us/j/93634737051?pwd=bJkB6HrVbOsrpCFInt76DNVlx7lwiS.1.

Location & Building Access: Tue, 11.00-12.30, Sky Room Wed, 11.00-12.30, Alice Room

Participants who do not have an access card for Perimeter Institute must sign in at the security desk before each session. For information on parking or accessibility please contact [email protected].

This course introduces key concepts in modern quantum matter, including spontaneous symmetry breaking, topological phases, and quantum criticality, illustrated through simple and instructive examples.

Advanced quantum field theory in lower dimension. The course will cover topics of advanced quantum field theory in lower dimension (d=2 or d=3) The topics may include string theory and/or integrability.

We will study how General Relativity (GR) is similar to and especially how it differs from other gauge theories. This will explain why, from a structural perspective, it is much harder to quantize GR than other theories without relying on any specific approach to quantization. To achieve this goal, we will introduce the so-called “Covariant Phase Space Method” and use to study in detail the symmetry structure of GR and how it is intimately related to its dynamics. Along the way we will touch on (parts of) the historical debate on whether gravity should be quantized at all, discuss how to think of time evolution when there is no absolute time, and go through Wald’s proposal of black hole entropy as a Noether charge.

How do relativistic effects influence quantum information processing? This fundamental question has developed over the past decade into the new active field of Relativistic Quantum Information. It brings together concepts and ideas from special relativity, quantum optics, general relativity, quantum communication, and quantum computation. Its aims are to understand the relationship between relativistic physics and quantum information, to harness them for new techniques in quantum information processing and to better comprehend the foundations of relativistic quantum physics.

Cosmology is at a crossroad. Are the rising observational tensions harbingers of doom for our beloved LCDM paradigm? Is the young field of gravitational wave astronomy about to revolutionize our understanding of black holes, and their cosmic dynamics? What is the best explanation of the early universe? What are the most exciting new ideas? This annual workshop brings together leaders from our three institutes and beyond to address these questions, and plan a roadmap to advance the cosmological frontiers of fundamental physics.

Past editions:
2025 - hosted by APC
2024 - hosted by University of Edinburgh

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Speakers

Asimina Arvanitaki (Perimeter Institute)
Job Feldbrugge (University of Edinburgh)
Ben Freivogel (University of Amsterdam)
Akshay Anant Ghalsasi (Harvard University)
Yonatan Kahn (University of Toronto)
Alex Krolewski (University of Waterloo)
Alessandro Longo (APC)
Sizheng Ma (Perimeter Institute)
Roberto Maiolino (Cambridge University)
Laurence Perreault-Levasseur (Université de Montréal)
Rashmish Mishra (Harvard University)
Mykhaylo Usatyuk (University of California, Santa Barbara)
Cumrun Vafa (Harvard University)
Zach Weiner (Perimeter Institute)
Yazaman Yazdi (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies)
Hanyu Zhang (University of Waterloo)

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Scientific Organizer Committee

Niayesh Afshordi
Ghazal Geshnizjani
Neal Dalal
Will Percival
Carlos Wagner

Elias Kritsis
Luca Santoni
Francesco Nitti
Martin Bucher

Latham Boyle
Alkistis Pourtsidou 

This course in Cosmology provides a theoretical overview of the standard cosmological model. Key topics include the FRW metric and the homogeneous universe, the thermal history of the universe, inflation and scalar field dynamics, along with selected aspects of cosmological perturbation theory time permitting.

This course introduces Scientific Machine Learning, beginning with an overview of traditional and modern machine learning methods illustrated with examples from physics. It then transitions to physics-informed approaches, where physical laws, symmetries, and mechanistic models are embedded into learning frameworks. Tutorials and assignments will emphasize developing programming skills in Python.