A New Measure: The Revolutionary, Quantum Reform of Modern Metric System

2299 Piedmont Avenue,Berkeley CA 94720

10 February, 2022

Description

UC Berkeley Hitchcock Lecture: William D. Phillips on The Revolutionary, Quantum Reform of the Modern Metric System Join William D. Phillips, Distinguished University and College Park Professor of Physics, University of Maryland NIST Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology for a Charles M. and Martha Hitchcock Lecture on the topic of Time, Einstein, and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe.' The International System of Units (the SI), the modern metric system, has recently undergone its most revolutionary change since its origins during the French Revolution. The nature of this revolution is that all of the base units of the SI are now defined by fixing values of natural constants. Our measurement system is now, both philosophically and practically, strongly quantum. This talk will describe why this reform was needed and how it is done. This hybrid event is available to UC Berkeley students, faculty, staff and the greater Berkeley community in two formats: Virtually via live-stream video using this linkOn campus at the Chevron Auditorium, International House*For more information about this lecture and upcoming lecture series events, please visit the Berkeley Graduate Lectures webpage. *In person attendees will be responsible for adhering to UC Berkeley's COVID-19 safety protocols. The Graduate Division at UC Berkeley oversees and supports degree completition, professional development and policy administration for graduate students at Cal.