Talks

We will discuss ongoing work with Alexandra Florea, Matilde Lalín, and Amita Malik on the shifted convolution problem for divisor functions in function fields. This involves studying the average value of $d(f) d(f+h)$ where $h$ is a fixed polynomial (having possibly large degree $m$) in $\mathbb{F}_q[T]$ and $f$ runs over all monic polynomials in $\mathbb{F}_q[T]$ of degree $n$, where $n$ goes to infinity. Our techniques mirror the classical approach of Estermann in the integer setting. The main new ingredient is a functional equation for the Estermann function (equivalently, a Voronoi summation formula for the divisor function) that was not previously available in function fields. If time permits, we will discuss a related result involving the shifted convolution of the norm-counting functions of quadratic extensions. The talk should be accessible to those unfamiliar with function fields.

The second and fourth moments of the Riemann zeta function have been known for about a century, but the sixth moment remains elusive. The sixth moment of zeta can be thought of as the second moment of a GL_3 Eisenstein series, and it is natural to consider variants of the problem where the Eisenstein series is replaced by a cusp form. I will discuss recent work with Agniva Dasgupta and Wing Hong Leung where we obtain a nontrivial bound on this second moment. I will also discuss some applications, including an improvement on the Rankin-Selberg problem.

We explore approaches to systems of forms with differing degrees which use the ‘repulsion’ technique. This would allow for example asymptotic formulas for the density of solutions to nonsingular systems of Diophantine inequalities in sufficiently many variables.

Random unitaries form the backbone of numerous components of quantum technologies, and serve as indispensable toy models for complex processes in quantum many-body physics. In all of these applications, a crucial consideration is in what circuit depth a random unitary can be generated. I will present recent work, in which we show that local quantum circuits can form random unitaries in exponentially lower circuit depths than previously thought. We prove that random quantum circuits on any geometry, including a 1D line, can form approximate unitary designs over n qubits in log n depth. In a similar manner, we construct pseudorandom unitaries (PRUs) in 1D circuits in poly log n depth, and in all-to-all-connected circuits in poly log log n depth. These shallow quantum circuits have low complexity and create only short-range entanglement, yet are indistinguishable from unitaries with exponential complexity. Applications of our results include proving that classical shadows with 1D log-depth Clifford circuits are as powerful as those with deep circuits, demonstrating superpolynomial quantum advantage in learning low-complexity physical systems, and establishing quantum hardness for recognizing phases of matter with topological order.

We explore approaches to systems of forms with differing degrees which use the ‘repulsion’ technique. This would allow for example asymptotic formulas for the density of solutions to nonsingular systems of Diophantine inequalities in sufficiently many variables.

I will discuss the problem of obtaining an asymptotic formula for counting integral solutions to an equation of the form f(x, y, z, w)=N in an expanding box, where N is a non-zero integer and f is an indefinite quadratic form over the integers. For forms of the shape axy-bzw, I will then explain how we can obtain a significantly strong error term by applying deep methods from the spectral theory of automorphic forms. This is a joint work with Rachita Guria.

UTe₂ is an intriguing recently discovered superconductor that exhibits a wide range of exotic properties. Experimental evidence increasingly supports spin-triplet pairing, and under pressure or in magnetic fields, UTe₂ displays multiple superconducting phases, including a remarkable reentrant phase above 40 T. However, conflicting results persist regarding the presence of chiral and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recent STM measurements have identified a charge density wave in the normal state, which couples with the superconducting state at lower temperatures to form a pair density wave. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the latest developments in understanding the unconventional superconductivity of UTe₂.

Galaxies are the medium through which we study the structure of the universe. However, widely applied statistical models of galaxies are generally over-simplified: even recently proposed models cannot capture the dependencies on environment or formation history. To solve this problem, I will introduce Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), a general and ideal tool for physical modelling. Geometrically constrained GNNs vastly improve our models, and allow us to ask detailed questions about the importance of formation history and environment for cosmological galaxy modeling. I will also prove a surprising equivalence between these two aspects of galaxy formation.