CSEE processor Samuel J. Lomonaco is giving a talk on his research on quantum computing as part of the Joint Quantum Institute seminar series sponsored by UMCP and NIST. The talk will be given at 12:30pm Monday 17 October, in room 1201 in the Physics building at College Park.

Quantum knots and quantum braids: Their possible application to superfluid vortices and to topological quantum computing in optical lattices.

In this talk, we show how to reconstruct knot theory in such a way that it is intimately related to quantum physics. In particular, we give a blueprint for creating a quantum system that has the dynamic behavior of a closed knotted piece of rope moving in 3-space. Within this framework, knot invariants become physically measurable quantum observables, knot moves become unitary transformations, with knot dynamics determined by the Schroedinger equation. The same approach can also be applied to the theory of braids. Toward the end of the talk, we look at possible applications to superfluid vortices and to topological quantum computing in optical lattices.

For more information, see the entry on the Joint Quantum Institute calendar.

This October is the the eighth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

According to the DHS, cyber threats present some of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face, not just in the United States, but throughout the world. Everyone who uses the Internet has a role to play in helping to secure it and thus enhance the safety for themselves and their families online.

See the DHS National Cyber Security Awareness Month site for more information, including suggestions for what you can do.

Next Tuesday, October 18th is the second Women in Technology event of the semester sponsored by the Center for Women in Technology.

"A Successful Career: It's a Journey, NOT a Destination" begins with two simultaneous panels and is followed by open networking time to interact with the panelists and other representatives from NASA Goddard, JHU APL, US Navy, BAE, NSA, Northrop Grumman, and Paypal. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to learn more about engineering and IT careers.

Free and all students Welcome. Please RSVP no later than 10/17  at: http://bit.ly/WIT_Registration_Oct

Engineering panelists:

Jelila Mohammed, NASA Goddard
Angela Sarich, JHU APL
Marline Johnson, US Navy

IT Professionals:

Laura Steacy, JHU APL
Erica Andren, BAE
Carolyn Schneider, NSA
Anastsia Reitz, Northrop Grumman
TBD, Paypal

Dresscode is professional attire! Contact Dr. Susan Martin if you have any questions-Phone: 410.455.3109 or Email: susan@umbc.edu.

In previous years we have received anywhere from 60-90 applications form high school girls wanting to participate, and we have been able to have major impacts on the lives of young women through the program. Data collected from pre- and post-event evaluations of the 2011 Bits and Bytes program participants show the program’s impact:

• enthusiasm for the field of engineering or IT =  82% before, 100% after.
  

• knowledge about opportunities available in IT or engineering = 24% before, 88% after.
  

• confidence about entering an engineering or IT career =  71% before, 94% after.
  

• knowledge of support for women in engineering or IT =  30% before, 88% after.
  

• confidence about fitting into the college environment = 70% before, 100% after.

• Creating AutoCAD drawings for concrete walls and slabs to be used for formwork and shoring layouts
• Assisting in material take-offs
• Printing, organizing and highlighting structural and architectural contract drawings
• General office tasks

• Experienced in AutoCAD 2010
• Experienced in blueprint reading
• Excellent command of English

Warner Brothers is said to have purchased the rights to a script The Imitation Game by screenwriter Graham Moore about British mathematician Alan Turing who made many important contributions to computer science. Leonardo DiCaprio is supposedly interested in playing Turing and is "chasing the project" and Ron Howard is rumored to be interested in in directing. The script is based on the Andrew Hodges' 2000 biography Alan Turing: The Enigma.

Turing is the famous English mathematician who made significant contributions to computer science in the 30s and 40s, including formalizations of computing and algorithms with the Turing machine and early work on Artificial Intelligence. During World War II he was was also a senior member of the British codebreaking and cryptanalysis group at Bletchley Park that broke the codes for the German Enigma machine.

Turing was prosecuted by the British government in 1952 for being a homosexual which is thought to be the cause of his apparent suicide by cyanide poisoning in 1954. In 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized on behalf of the British government for the way in which Turing was treated after the war.

Warner Brothers is said to have purchased the rights to a script The Imitation Game by screenwriter Graham Moore about British mathematician Alan Turing who made many important contributions to computer science. Leonardo DiCaprio is supposedly interested in playing Turing and is "chasing the project" and Ron Howard is rumored to be interested in in directing. The script is based on the Andrew Hodges' 2000 biography Alan Turing: The Enigma.

Turing is the famous English mathematician who made significant contributions to computer science in the 30s and 40s, including formalizations of computing and algorithms with the Turing machine and early work on Artificial Intelligence. During World War II he was was also a senior member of the British codebreaking and cryptanalysis group at Bletchley Park that broke the codes for the German Enigma machine.

Turing was prosecuted by the British government in 1952 for being a homosexual which is thought to be the cause of his apparent suicide by cyanide poisoning in 1954. In 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized on behalf of the British government for the way in which Turing was treated after the war.