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PUG Seminar

PUG Seminar

Whitmore 321

2025-01-30 - 2025-01-31

Erick Muiño, who will be presenting the talk “Do we need to postulate equal a priori probability?”

Abstract: “Statistical mechanics is built upon the postulate of equal a priori probability: in equilibrium, all microstates compatible with a given macrostate are equally probable. Despite its remarkable success, this assumption remains controversial. Several proposals suggest replacing it with quantum mechanical ideas. In this talk, I will present some arguments for abandoning this additional postulate, as it can be viewed as a consequence of entanglement.”

Schedule for PUG Seminar
DateTimeSpeakerTitle
2025-01-3114:00Erick MuiñoDo we need to postulate equal a priori probability?

About our wordmark
Monica The IGC wordmark was created by Monica Rincon Ramirez, while she was a graduate student at the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos (IGC). Monica enjoys drawing new connections between fundamental theory and observations. Her graduate work includes specialized topics in general relativity, loop quantum gravity, and quantum fields in cosmological backgrounds. In particular, her thesis work focused on finding effective quantum corrections to gravitational phenomena from spinfoams, and applications to cosmology. She received her PhD in 2024.

The wordmark symbolizes the scope and variety of research at the IGC. The base of the image represents quantum gravity, evoking the quantum geometrical picture from spinfoams and loop quantum gravity. These are among the approaches to fundamental questions studied at the Center for Fundamental Theory. The middle of the image represents the Center for Theoretical and Observational Cosmology by galaxies embedded in a smooth surface, characteristic of spacetime in general relativity and the much larger physical scales studied in cosmology. Finally, at the top, the surface curves to an extreme, representing a supermassive black hole accompanied by an energetic jet. These elements depict an active galactic nucleus, inspired by Centaurus A. Just to the right, a pair of black holes approaches merger. This top portion of the wordmark represents the Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics, which specializes in the study of high-energy phenomena in the universe.