LATEST MIT PHYSICS NEWS
UPCOMING COLLOQUIA & SEMINARSChez Pierre SeminarsMonday, October 5, 2026 at 12:00pm ET - Duboc Room (4-331) Nuclear and Particle Theory SeminarMonday, October 5, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - Cosman Room (6C-442) Nuclear and Particle Physics ColloquiumMonday, October 28, 2026 at 4:00pm ET - Kolker Room (26-414) LNS Lunchtime SeminarTuesday, October 29, 2026 at 12:00pm ET - Kolker Room (26-414) Joint MIT/Tufts Cosmology SeminarTuesday, October 6, 2026 at 2:30pm ET - Tufts Astrophysics EventsMonday, October 5, 2026 at 3:00pm ET - Marlar Lounge (37-252) Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 4:00pm ET - Marlar Lounge (37-252) Friday, October 9, 2026 at 12:00pm ET - Marlar Lounge (37-252) MIT-Harvard CUA SeminarTuesday, October 13, 2026 at 4:00pm ET - MIT 4-370 (Note the room change!) MIT Living and Non-Equilibrium Systems (LANES) Seminar SeriesWednesday October 7, 2026 at 10:45am ET - PLS (4-332) Special Friday String/Gravity Theory SeminarFriday, October 9, 2026 at 3:00pm ET - Cosman Room (6C-442) MIT-CQE iQuISE SeminaThursday, October 8, 2026 at 12:00pm ET - CUA Room (26-214) Physics ColloquiumThursday, October 8, 2026 at 4:00pm ET - 10-250 Refreshments at 3:30pm in 4-349 (Pappalardo Community Room)* IAIFI Public ColloquiumFriday, October 9, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - Kolker Room (26-414) PSFC SeminarFriday, October 9, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - Hybrid - NW17-218 UPCOMING EVENTSCambridge Science Carnival Who: All Students A family-friendly science extravaganza, Carnival is a beloved yearly highlight of the Cambridge STEAM calendar and features over 100 activity booths and demonstrations, with live music and installations, including the ever-popular Robot Petting Zoo! Carnival is a STEAM-themed adventure playground for inquisitive visitors of all ages – we can't wait to see you there and celebrate our diverse, creative community together. Founded by the MIT Museum in 2007, Carnival takes place every year in the Kendall/MIT Open Space. MISTI GO Fair 2026 Who: All Students Explore MISTI programs in 40+ countries—and find your path abroad! Ready to take your MIT experience global? Meet MISTI country program managers and students at the MIT Global Opportunities (GO) Fair and discover opportunities to intern, study, teach, and learn around the world. Each year, MISTI connects 1,200+ MIT students across all majors and departments with opportunities in more than 40 countries. Wherever your interests and passions take you, MISTI can help you gain global experience, tackle real-world challenges, and make an impact. Enjoy some gelato and come talk with us about: Internships abroad, Study abroad, Teaching abroad, Learning abroad, And more! The Extra on Extrasolar Planets Who: All Students Are we alone in this Universe? Astronomers have discovered over 6000 planets beyond the Solar System since the 1990s. Modern telescopes, such as the recently launched Roman Space Telescope, are expected to find tens of thousands of more exoplanets! Join Harvard graduate student Adam Distler and former MKI postdoc Juliana García-Mejía to learn all about exoplanets and fun stories behind this field! Astronomy on Tap features talks and trivia for the 21+ crowd. Event is free, no RSVP required, 21+ Hosted by Astronomy On Tap CAPD: Faculty Job Search Series: Interviewing Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs This workshop prepares graduate students and postdocs for the academic interview process. Participants will learn the differences between screening interviews and on-campus interviews (or "flyouts"), including what to expect from committee meetings, one-on-one sessions, and even tricky conversations over meals. The session covers strategies for delivering an effective research talk, teaching demonstration, and chalk talk, with practical tips on storytelling, simplifying visuals, and engaging an audience. Attendees will also explore how to build a strong personal brand and prepare thoughtful questions to ask interviewers in return. The workshop closes with guidance on post-interview follow-up, including how to write a compelling thank you note to leave a lasting positive impression. REGISTER The Application Process to Medical & Health Professions School | Info session for Fall 2028 matriculants Who: All Students Are you planning to apply to medical or health professions schools in June 2027 for Fall 2028 admission? Then join MIT's Prehealth Advising for an information session designed to help you navigate the application process and acquire a committee letter. In this session, you'll gain valuable insights into crafting a competitive application, understand MIT's Committee Letter (COPA) process, and familiarize yourself with the application timeline and available resources through Prehealth Advising. We'll also cover the COPA Enrollment Appointment, which we strongly encourage all applicants to schedule in Handshake by January 31st. This appointment offers a personalized review of your application, including feedback on clinical and volunteer experiences, recommendation letter options, MCAT timelines, considerations for MD vs. MD-PhD programs, and more. It's a great chance to refine your application's strengths and address areas for improvement before you submit. This CAPD event is open to MIT undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni considering to apply to medical school or another health profession program in June 2027 and matriculate in Fall 2028. REGISTER Drop by CAPD: Office hours for first-years & sophomores Who: First years and sophomores Join us for CAPD office hours, designed just for first years and sophomores! Drop by to ask your career questions. Whether you're navigating the fall recruiting season, preparing for upcoming career fairs, exploring career paths, thinking through IAP plans and spring/summer opportunities, or just want to come say hi, we're here for you. This is a casual event, judgment-free, and open to MIT first years and sophomores. REGISTER Quantum Connections: Reception, dinner & panel discusssion Who: All Students Quantum Connection: The Past, Present and Future of Quantum Join us for a remarkable evening exploring the ideas, people and discoveries that helped shape quantum information science and the possibilities still ahead. In 1981, MIT Endicott House hosted the landmark Physics of Computation Conference, bringing together an extraordinary group of scientists and thinkers to explore the relationship between physics, information and computation. The conversations surrounding that gathering helped shape an emerging way of thinking about information through the laws of physics and contributed to the foundation of what would become quantum information science. More than four decades later, Quantum Connection: The Past, Present and Future of Quantum brings the conversation back to Endicott House, connecting the pioneers and ideas of that remarkable period with the scientists and leaders shaping quantum today — and tomorrow. That future is taking shape at MIT in a significant new way. The Institute recently announced plans for the Quantum Systems Laboratory (QSL), a new shared-use facility designed to accelerate the development of next-generation quantum technologies and strengthen Massachusetts and the nation as a hub for quantum innovation. Located in MIT's Building 39, QSL will become the physical home of the MIT Quantum Initiative (QMIT) and bring together researchers from MIT, government, academia and industry to advance quantum science from fundamental research toward real-world applications. The evening will also recognize Charles H. Bennett, a participant in the 1981 conference, following his receipt of the 2025 ACM A.M. Turing Award for his foundational contributions to quantum information science. Moderator: Ian A. Waltz, Vice President for Research, MIT
An Evening Connecting Quantum's Past to Its Future MechE Micro-Nano Seminar with Professor Shanhui Fan PhD '57: Control of optical modes for the processing of light Who: All Students Talk title: "Control of optical modes for the processing of light" Abstract: In this talk we review some of our recent works regarding the control of optical modes in the spatial, wavevector and spectral domains with the use of nanophotonic structures. We discuss the potential applications for image processing, optical neural network, quantum information processing, and generation of novel states and topologies for light. Speaker: Shanhui Fan, Joseph and Hon Mai Goodman Professor of the School of Engineering, Stanford University Physics Graduate school Applications Workshop Who: Undergraduate Students (3rd and 4th years) Are you a junior or senior Physics student thinking about applying to grad school? Prof. Anna Frebel, along with SPS, is organizing the annual Graduate Applications and Professional Strategies (GAPS) workshop series (season 5)! The workshop is intended for juniors and seniors majoring in Physics; interested sophomores may attend subject to available open spots. Our first workshop is happening on Tue 10/13 from 5-7PM in the Pappalardo Room, 4-349. We will discuss when/where/whether to apply to graduate school and the components of an application, followed by a CV workshop session (please bring your CV drafts). RSVP here if you plan to attend: https://forms.gle/gDjYn1apLosvmiLg6 (dinner provided!) We welcome students from minority groups and underrepresented communities to sign up and attend GAPS. Celebrating Neil Pappalardo Who: All Students Honoring the late A. Neil Pappalardo's impact on MIT, this event features a tribute film produced by MIT Video Productions and special music performances by MIT faculty and students. Free and open to the public. Please reserve your spot. A native of New York state, with interests in astrophysics, cosmology, and electrical engineering, Neil Pappalardo (1942-2026) was the founder and CEO of MEDITECH, a leading supplier of information systems for 2,200 hospitals in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Africa. His career was spent in product development, creating software that allows health care providers to track each patient's history and monitor ongoing treatment for chronic health problems, regardless of the patient's location. MIT class of 1964, Neil was an MIT Corporation life member and Executive Committee member whose passion for the Institute was reflected by his extensive volunteer engagement, his joyful, hands-on approach, his often-uncanny ability to know what the Institute needed, and his willingness to identify and enable talent at MIT. Please join us for a post-event reception in the lobby. CAPD: Salary Negotiation Workshop Who: All Students Attend this workshop to learn some strategies to help with your next job offer negotiation. - Identify key strategies and steps in the offer negotiation process This CAPD event is open to MIT undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and alumni. REGISTER Fall Party Who: All Students Join us to celebrate the season with live music from Jazz World Trio, hands-on art activities, free popcorn and cotton candy, face painting, and more! FELLOWSHIP/GRANT OPPORTUNITIES$3,190 Startup Internship Program Scholarship + $500 Stipend Who: Undergraduate Students Founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs, Ladder Internships is a selective internship program for ambitious university students and incoming freshmen. In the program, students are matched with high-growth startups and work directly alongside founders and CEOs with backgrounds at firms like Google, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and Y Combinator-backed ventures. Each student is connected with mentors who work closely with them on real-world projects aligned with their interests and career goals — helping them build the experience, skills, and network needed to stand out in competitive recruiting cycles. This winter, Ladder Internships is hosting a full-ride scholarship competition for our University Internship Program. If you are selected, you will receive a full-ride scholarship valued at $3,190 for Ladder's 8-week startup internship program, and an additional $500 stipend. The competition is open to university students and incoming freshmen. Where to apply: https://bit.ly/ladderscholarship Princeton Quantum Initiative Postdoctoral Fellowship
Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs These Associate Research Scholar positions will support research in quantum science and engineering across several departments throughout the university, including physics, electrical engineering, computer science, chemistry, and mechanical engineering. Research areas include foundational quantum science, quantum materials, devices for quantum technologies, and quantum computer science. Appointments come with a highly competitive salary and $10,000 annually in research funding. Applications will receive full consideration if they are submitted by October 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM. For more information about this role, view the job posting on Interfolio. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GFRP) application now live!
Who: Graduate Students The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master's or doctoral degrees in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — or in STEM education. This support includes an annual stipend and a cost-of-education allowance towards tuition and fees. The overall goal of the Graduate Research Fellowship Program is to recruit individuals into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields; to select, recognize, and financially support individuals who have demonstrated the potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, early in their careers; and to broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. NSF Fellows are anticipated to become experts whose work contributed significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. Visit https://oge.mit.edu/fellowships/nsf/ for info on eligibility, application process, helpful webinars and workshops, and timeline and deadlines. 2027 Jane Street Graduate Research Fellowship Who: Graduate Students Applications for the 2027 Jane Street Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) are now open! The Fellowship supports exceptional doctoral students currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, physics, or statistics. At Jane Street, we take a rigorous, quantitative approach to trading on global markets, combining techniques from machine learning, distributed systems, programmable hardware, statistics, and applied mathematics. Our culture is steeped in the idea that we will never stop solving; we're looking forward to supporting technically excellent PhD students who share our core values of intellectual curiosity and humility. Those awarded the Fellowship will receive:
Learn more about eligibility here. Student applications must be submitted by November 13, 2026. If you have questions about the Fellowship or you're a faculty member who wishes to nominate a student, please contact graduate-research-fellowship@janestreet.com. CAPD Graduate Student Career Exploration Grant Who: Graduate Students Graduate Student Career Exploration Grant Curious about gaining experience in industry? Consider applying for a grant ($1,000 or $1,500) which supports underfunded domestic industry internships over IAP 2027. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until Nov. 15. Learn more and contact tsookhoo@mit.edu with questions. Check out the student profiles of previous recipients to see example internships. Note: International students must attain off campus work authorization before beginning the IAP experience. Allen Institute postdoc fellowship opportunities Who: Graduate Students We are currently accepting applications for two postdoctoral fellowship programs: the Shanahan Fellowship, which focuses on computational and theoretical neuroscience, and the Studio D3 Fellowship, which focuses on computational and theoretical biology. These programs are designed for recent PhD graduates from quantitative disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, physics, and engineering who are interested in applying their expertise to biological and neuroscience research. We are recruiting a total of six fellows (three in each program) to begin in Fall 2027, with applications due December 1, 2026. We would be grateful if you could share the attached fellowship announcements with relevant graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty mentors, and career development offices within your institution. OTHER OPPORTUNITIESHumana Summer 2027 Tech Internship
Who: All Students Our 12-week internship program offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience across a wide spectrum of technological domains, contributing to projects that directly impact the health and well-being of millions. As a Tech Intern, you will collaborate with experienced technologists on initiatives that may include project management, agile development, software and cloud engineering, data science and analytics, user experience (UI/UX), machine learning, and cybersecurity. You will have the opportunity to leverage cutting-edge tools and methodologies to solve real-world challenges, build new skills, and make a meaningful impact in healthcare technology while launching your career at Humana. The internship program is hosted in-person at Humana’s Headquarters in Louisville, KY, providing a rich experience of our corporate culture and direct mentorship from industry leaders. Qualification requirements:
QURiSE at UMD - October 23rd-25th
Who: Undergraduate Students The University of Maryland Physics Department will be hosting QURiSE, October 23rd-25th. Undergraduate students involved in quantum research or who have quantum internship experience are encouraged to apply. If you have any questions, we're happy to answer at qurise-conference@umd.edu. SPLASH Physics Class Idea Proposals Who: Undergraduate Students TL;DR: Propose physics class ideas for SPLASH! Fill out this form or view the responses here to see who to reach out to about classes you could help teach! Like some of you might know, SPS usually runs a liquid nitrogen ice cream activity for SPLASH (the ESP-run weekend where MIT students teach high schoolers). Unfortunately, we are running the event this year. To make up for this shortfall, and because there have not been many physics-centric classes in general, we want you (yes, you!!) to come up with more ideas for classes! For anyone who's seen the SPLASH dormspams, but hasn't had the time to look through the links — for liability reasons, classes require a minimum of two teachers. Signups for classes are due by October 5th, 11:59PM EDT; SPLASH itself takes place during the weekend of November 21–22. Thus! This form (also linked above) was born. Do you have an idea for a class, but don't have anyone to co-teach yet? Do you have a really epic activity, but no time to teach it yourself? Fill out the form (once per activity/class idea) to help you find people! Interested in getting kids engaged in physics but don't have any class ideas yourself? View this response sheet (also linked above!) to see a list of proposed ideas. The column with the kerb tells you who to contact about this idea if they're looking for co-teachers. If they're looking for someone to teach the class, comment your kerb in the cell so other interested teachers know who to reach out to. Go out and teach! Check out our website for registration details and join our Discord server to keep in touch! Feel free to email us at splash@mit.edu with any questions. New Goldwater Summer Research Internship Program
Who: Undergraduate Students (First and Second Years) The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation has launched the Barry Goldwater Summer Research Internship Program, a new initiative supporting outstanding freshmen and sophomores pursuing research careers in science, engineering, and mathematics. Beginning in summer 2027, the program will fund 20 research positions in Chemistry, Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering, Engineering, Life Sciences, and Physics and Astronomy at laboratories across the country. Selected interns will participate in a 10-week research experience and receive $10,500 in financial support. Applications are due November 2, 2026, and award notifications will be issued by January 15, 2027. Additional information and application materials are available at: https://goldwaterinternship.gov. Fall 2027 Physics MS and PhD study at Wake Forest
Who: Undergraduate Students Wake Forest Physics is accepting applications for Fall 2027 MS and PhD study, including our MS and certificate options in quantum information sciences. For PhD applicants, we are especially interested in students whose interests align with:
Application deadline: January 8, 2027 Current support information is on the attached flyer. Program and application details: https://physics.wfu.edu/graduate-programs/application/ 2027 Ernest Kempton Adams (EKA) Postdoctoral Program - Columbia University Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs Columbia Physics Department invites applications for the 2027 EKA Postdoctoral program for outstanding young scientists with research interests in any area of physics pursued at Columbia. The positions are co-sponsored by the Ernest Kempton Adams fund and a Columbia faculty member and come with travel and research funds. The positions may begin at any time between April 1, 2027 and Sept 1, 2027 and are for an initial term of one year extendible for up to two additional years, contingent on satisfactory performance and funding. We anticipate making two offers in 2027, one in theoretical/computational physics and another in experimental physics. Preference will be given to candidates with research interests in the areas of Astrophysics (including cosmology), or Condensed Matter Physics. It is expected that additional positions will be available in 2028. We will give preference to candidates who have obtained their degree in 2026, but are open to all candidates who received their PhD as early as 2024. New program for MIT STEM Ph.D. students — CATAPULT: Translating Theory into Practice Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs New program for MIT STEM Ph.D. students — Certificate in Advancing Translation And Promoting University Led Technologies — CATAPULT: Translating Theory into Practice
CATAPULT Core Course | Fall 2026
CATAPULT helps you translate breakthrough research into real-world impact—through academia, industry, startups, policy, and beyond. Interested? Submit a short application at: catapult.mit.edu SPAMS – the Simple Person’s Applied Math Seminar is seeking speakers for fall!
Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs Welcome back to another year of SPAMS – the Simple Person’s Applied Math Seminar. This seminar is held every Thursday 6-6:45pm starting September 10th (building 2, location TBD). We feature talks by graduate students on a variety of applied math topics, from combinatorics to scientific computing to theoretical physics. After the talk, stick around for a free catered dinner in the common room! This is a great opportunity to practice speaking in a casual and friendly setting. We encourage speakers from all years and fields to sign up. You are welcome to share a recent project or publication, explore open problems, or simply present a random topic that you are excited about. Just aim to keep your talk accessible to folks outside your specific field so all can enjoy! We’re now looking for speakers for this Fall! If you’d like to give a talk, sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KQ2sOtaD8fbgl_puzZUOsyQJtX9gUEEDeCxf3ZmV6Bg/ We’d especially love volunteers to kick off the early weeks of the term, as those spots are always the hardest to fill! SPAMS is not restricted to math graduate students: share this form with your friends outside of math who’d be interested in giving a talk! We’ve previously had many speakers from EECS, Engineering, Physics, and so on. Anyone who wishes to receive talk announcements but is not a math grad student can sign up for the mailing list (or just shoot us an email). Call for Proposals: Graduate Student AI+Discovery Working Groups, Fall 2026 Who: Graduate Students The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC) invites doctoral student groups focusing on the biological, chemical, or physical sciences to apply for funding to support a workshop, semester-long reading group, working group, or other activity that advances their understanding of the forefront of AI and its potential role in their discipline. This pilot program is intended to be student-driven and low-barrier—enabling a group of graduate students to develop new expertise in AI fundamentals relevant to their work and to have forward-looking conversations about how computing and AI impact their research field. This initiative is supported by the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing as part of its goal of infusing computing and AI with other disciplines at MIT. Support and Proposal Guidelines Selected groups will receive up to $1500 in funding to cover expenses such as visitor travel or food for a workshop, reading group, or working group. MIT faculty can be involved as mentors or guest speakers in the proposed activities, but faculty involvement is not required, and students must take the lead in shaping, planning, and executing the effort. Proposals should consist of a short narrative (maximum three pages) describing a research focus area and the format of the proposed activities. The narrative should explain how the activities will advance graduate student learning and research that infuses AI with the relevant scientific discipline, and the planned use and benefits of the funds. Student organizers and their affiliations should be clearly identified. The proposal should also include a preliminary budget sketch and an estimate of the number of students who will participate. The proposed activities can start as early as October 2026; funding from this initiative should be used by the end of IAP 2027. Who Should Apply? In this cycle, we invite applications from MIT doctoral student groups working in the biological, chemical, or physical sciences. Members of the group may be students in any MIT doctoral program. Future application cycles may emphasize different topical areas. Submit your application at https://forms.gle/SNC75KpiLg7Z6azk8 Key Dates Questions? Please contact Helena Martins, martins1@mit.edu. Path of Professorship - Call for Applications
Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs Are you a Ph.D. student looking to energize your dissertation with world-class scientific power at a DOE laboratory or facility? The DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for 2026 Solicitation 2, due November 4, 2026, 5:00 PM ET (https://apps.orau.gov/SCGSR/Account/Login). Attend the upcoming Application Assistance Workshops to learn more about the DOE SCGSR program, receive application guidance, and field questions to program area scientists! Application Assistance Workshops
Additional Questions? Attend our weekly virtual office hours: Fridays 1:00-2:00 PM ET from September 4th to October 30th, 2026. Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Position in Experimental Quantum Condensed Matter Physics at Brown University Who: Graduate Students and Postdocs The Department of Physics at Brown University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Experimental Quantum Condensed Matter Physics (broadly defined), starting in the summer of 2027. We seek candidates who can create a vigorous and sustainable research program, teach effectively at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and foster an equitable environment that promotes diversity and inclusion. The search is open to all subfields of experimental quantum condensed matter physics. Current research in condensed matter physics at Brown is very active across many topics, including quantum materials, spintronics, nanoscale physics, ultrafast and quantum optics, semiconductor physics and devices, and soft condensed matter. The ideal candidate will bring new expertise to Brown's Physics Department and welcome opportunities to collaborate synergistically with faculty in the Department of Physics, School of Engineering, and/or across the university. To apply, applicants should submit: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate statements of research goals, teaching goals, and three confidential letters of recommendation. Candidates must address how they would contribute to the research and/or teaching missions of our diverse and inclusive university community in their materials (cover letter or statements). All documents should be submitted online through the Interfolio system https://apply.interfolio.com/190050. Inquiries about this position should be directed to Phys-search@brown.edu or to Prof. Kemp Plumb, Chair of Experimental Condensed Matter Physics Search Committee, Department of Physics, Box 1843, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. Applications received by December 1, 2026 will receive full consideration. |
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