Sreenath Manikandan, postdoc, Nordita. Photo: Gunilla Häggström

Sreenath Manikandan is 31 years old and comes from Kerala, a state in the southern part of India.

"I completed my PhD in physics from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA with Professor Andrew N. Jordan before joining Nordita as a WINQ postdoctoral fellow in 2021. My doctoral thesis titled "Information and irreversibility in the quantum regime: from fundamentals to quantum device applications" focused on quantum physics in the nanoscale."

On the fundamental side, his doctoral research explored the time-reversal symmetry of continuous quantum measurements and applications to quantum thermodynamics.

Sreenath's research is mainly on topics in quantum physics

"A part of my doctoral research I also explored a fruitful quantum analogy between Andreev reflections in superconductor/normal metal junctions and the quantum physics of black holes for resolving the quantum information loss problem in quantum gravity. I have also co-proposed nanoscale quantum devices for cooling below 10 mK, typical ambient temperatures achievable in current dilution refrigerators. Although my research was primarily theoretical, I have also made theory contributions to Rochester based experiments in single photon, ultracold atoms, and spin qubit platforms: in these experiments, we respectively characterized complete complementarity relations between wave-particle duality and the self-entanglement of a single photon, fluctuation theorems for measuring quantum spin of ultracold atoms, and demonstrated quantum teleportation and entanglement swapping in semiconducting spin qubits."

What are you working with now?

"I am now at Nordita as a postdoctoral researcher. I completed three years of my WINQ fellowship recently, and I currently have a one-year position at Nordita as a researcher in theoretical physics. As part of  Professor Wilczek's research group, I focused on Q-balls in condensed matter systems. We also have a couple of other interesting projects in discussions and I very much enjoy discussing physics with Professor Wilczek. As a WINQ fellow, I have also contributed to a number of interesting articles with researchers in Stockholm on topics ranging from optimal quantum parametric feedback cooling to autonomous quantum clocks and with the group of Igor Pikovski at Fysikum, I also contributed to a nice, recent article on detecting single gravitons using massive acoustic bar resonators."

What did you think of the Summer School this year?

"Quantum connections is an amazing summer school for early career researchers like me. The school brings great lecturers from around the world on frontiers of quantum physics. Given that quantum physics is a rapidly progressing field of active research, the school plays a major role in both educating the basics of the current frontiers of research in quantum physics, as well as advertising recent progresses, which is very important for our development as independent researchers. The school also promotes highest standards of sharing knowledge, openness, and leaves a possibly long-lasting impression of high-quality scientific practices as envisioned by Professor Wilczek."

He has also been helping as an organizer for the school and he has had a wonderful time working with other organizers and our administration, as well as people at Högberga Gård.

What are your future plans?

"I would like to continue in academia with a research focus on quantum technologies for fundamental physics and applications. With the growing development in experimental quantum technology platforms, it is very exciting for me to think of their applications beyond quantum computing such as quantum devices for cooling and quantum sensing. I am also very passionate about teaching and mentoring, and I am optimistic that I will be successful in these aspects in the future as well."

Sreenath has a twin brother Sreekanth who did his PhD at Fysikum with Senior Lecturer Supriya Krishnamurthy. After that he was a Nordita fellow as well.
"We overlapped for one year at Nordita. He is currently at Stanford as a Wallenberg postdoctoral fellow."

What are your recommendations for physics students at Fysikum?

"I have had many fruitful interactions and collaborations with doctoral students at Fysikum, and I learn a lot by discussing physics with them. Although the quantum connections program is somewhat special and popular, we also have many more exciting programs throughout the year at Nordita that maybe of interest and relevance to students at Fysikum. In addition, undergraduate research experiences have greatly helped me in my learning process, and I would also recommend that to our younger colleagues."

More information

Contact Sreenath Manikandan

Quantum Connections Summer School 2024

Nordita

Courses and programmes in physics at Fysikum, Stockholm University