Annual post: Come join UT Austin’s Quantum Information Center!
If you’re a prospective PhD student: Apply here for the CS department (the deadline this year is December 15th), here for the physics department (the deadline is December 1st), or here for the ECE department (the deadline is 15th). GREs are not required this year because of covid. If you apply to CS and specify that you want to work with me, I’ll be sure to see your application. If you apply to physics or ECE, I won’t see your application, but once you arrive, I can sometimes supervise or co-supervise PhD students in other departments (or, of course, serve on their committees). In any case, everyone in the UT community is extremely welcome at our quantum information group meetings (which are now on Zoom, naturally, but depending on vaccine distribution, hopefully won’t be by the time you arrive!). Emailing me won’t make a difference. Admissions are very competitive, so apply broadly to maximize your chances.
If you’re a prospective postdoctoral fellow: By January 1, 2021, please email me a cover letter, your CV, and two or three of your best papers (links or attachments). Please also ask two recommenders to email me their letters by January 1. While my own work tends toward computational complexity, I’m open to all parts of theoretical quantum computing and information.
If you’re a prospective faculty member: Yes, faculty searches are still happening despite covid! Go here to apply for an opening in the CS department (which, in quantum computing, currently includes me and MIP*=RE superstar John Wright), or here to apply to the physics department (which, in quantum computing, currently includes Drew Potter, along with a world-class condensed matter group).
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Comment #1 November 18th, 2020 at 9:39 pm
I assume the PhD programs are in-person and full time? No part-time or remote options?
Comment #2 November 18th, 2020 at 10:48 pm
Alexandre Zani #1: Right. Doing a PhD part-time is notoriously near-impossible (like doing medical school part-time). And once Covid is over, I expect in-person interactions to once again become central to my group, department, and university!
Comment #3 November 19th, 2020 at 6:49 am
Dear Scott,
I am currently a PhD student in information theory, and plan to graduate in April next year. As an avid reader of your blog, I have been on the lookout for an opportunity to also learn and do research in complexity theory (perhaps at the intersection with information theory). I realize that this outset is better suited for a PhD application, but would your department also consider a Postdoc application with my background and motivation?
Comment #4 November 19th, 2020 at 7:40 am
inf_theory #3: We’ll consider anyone who applies! But remember that in addition to me and John Wright, we also have classical algorithms and complexity theorists: Dana Moshkovitz (my wife), David Zuckerman, Eric Price, Adam Klivans, Anna Gal, Vijaya Ramachandran, Greg Plaxton. You should contact whoever you’re interested in working with.
Comment #5 November 19th, 2020 at 8:54 am
> quantum information group meetings
If you folks have a YouTube channel, either for these meetings or for seminars, etc., I’d greatly appreciate a link. I bet others would also. Thank you.
Comment #6 November 19th, 2020 at 9:33 am
Prospective PhD applicants to UT CS should look at the department’s new application assistance program. The goal is to provide applicants from generally undermentored, underrepresented groups feedback on their applications. It’s run entirely by current PhD students. The program closes Nov 27th.
Comment #7 November 19th, 2020 at 1:53 pm
Jim Hefferon #5: Sorry, we don’t have a YouTube channel, and I think we prefer to keep our group meetings within the UT community for now. I’ll announce on this blog if we do any public events though.