One Atom, Two Places?

Dr. Sarah PloskerCan something be in two places at once? Dr. Sarah Plosker has been awarded a federal research grant to explore a long-standing theory which says yes.

The $75,000 grant, from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), will help fund her five-year study into the mathematical foundations for physical realizations in quantum mechanics.

“The principle of quantum superposition suggests that subatomic particles can be literally two places at one time,” says Dr. Plosker, Department of Math and Computer Science. “I will examine the mathematics on which this theory is based. A better understanding of quantum information can lead to new technology, including faster computers.”