"Quantum Thought Experiments: Testing Time, Tech and Too Many Cats Inside Your Head"

You can push the boundaries of quantum science using the physics lab inside your head. In this talk, Maria will summarise a few of her favourite quantum thought experiments, and their implications for the nature of reality. Along the way, she will discuss how thought experiments have been central to discovering new quantum technologies and testing philosophical controversies. She will finish with some experimental thoughts about the thought experiments of the future: how can we use our minds to experiment with whatever lies beyond quantum?

Maria Violaris is a PhD student at the University of Oxford, researching the foundations of quantum information, quantum thermodynamics and Constructor Theory under the co-supervision of Prof. Artur Ekert and Prof. Vlatko Vedral. Her DPhil research aims to re-frame quantum thermodynamics using Constructor Theory.

A passionate quantum communicator, she is the winner of the FameLab 2020 competition, founder of the Oxford Quantum Information Society and IBM Quantum Community Advocate. She has a strong interest in quantum foundations, quantum computing, outreach and entrepreneurship.