NSF EPSCoR grant awarded to UAB professor for pioneering quantum simulation research

Written by: Katherine Kirk
Media contact: Brianna Hoge

Yubo Qi, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research grant of $256,892 to advance his groundbreaking project, "Developing a Deep Learning-based Multifunctional Method for Simulating Quantum Effects."

This innovative research aims to understand how electrons flow through different materials to create advanced technologies like supercomputers and renewable energy devices using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques.

"At the heart of this research is the study of electrons, the tiny particles that carry electric charge," Qi said. "When these electrons move on a very small scale, they behave in surprising ways that can lead to new and exciting technological breakthroughs."

To study these tiny movements, powerful computer simulations are used. Traditional methods can be very slow and expensive, but modern deep learning techniques allow for faster simulations and a better understanding of the physical scenarios.

"The goal of this project is to develop new techniques that will help scientists design better electronic devices by understanding the unique electron behaviors, potentially leading to significant improvements in technology, making devices faster more efficient and more powerful," Qi said.

His inspiration for this project stems from a deep fascination with the fundamental principles that govern the universe and a desire to apply modern techniques to uncover the underlying mechanisms.

"The dynamics of electrons are crucial to many technological advancements, including cell phones, computers and artificial intelligence-based devices," Qi said. "The potential to develop next-generation technologies through a deeper understanding of electron behavior is incredibly motivating."

With the NSF EPSCoR grant, Qi will travel to the University of Texas at Austin and collaborate with esteemed scientists in this field. The funding will cover travel expenses and support a graduate student for two summers, allowing them to gain in-depth experience and actively contribute to the research.

"I hope this research will significantly impact both the scientific community and society by advancing the understanding of electron behavior and quantum effects in materials," Qi said. "This could pave the way for next-generation technologies like supercomputers and renewable energy devices."

After the completion of this project, he plans to expand and apply the developed methodology to more complex systems.

"The next steps will involve using multifunctional computational methods to investigate scientifically significant systems and collaborating with experimental researchers to validate the results and ensure they align with real-world data," Qi said.

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