New Center of Excellence at Chapman University will Study Quantum Theory and the Nature of Reality

An interdisciplinary team of scholars have received a $2.43 million dollar grant from the John Templeton Foundation to create a “Southern California Quantum Foundations Hub” at Chapman University. This unique collaboration includes theoretical physicists, experimental physicists and philosophers, who will apply the methods of their respective disciplines to provide deeper insights into the nature of reality that quantum theory is silent about. The Templeton Foundation has identified the area of quantum foundations as one of their key funding priorities.

Researchers Andrew Jordan (physics), Matt Leifer (physics), Emily Adlam (philosophy and physics), and Kelvin McQueen (philosophy) at Chapman will seek answers to some of the most pressing and confounding questions in their fields. Three research themes will be explored: (1) The Nature of the Quantum State, (2) Past and Future Boundary Conditions, and (3) Agency in Quantum Observers. Each theme has contributions planned for theory, experiment, and philosophy. The grant will also support experiments by Aephraim Steinberg (University of Toronto, physics) and Eddy Chen (UCSD, philosophy).

Andrew Jordan, professor, Schmid College of Science and Technology said, “Chapman university has invested strongly to make one of the best quantum foundations groups in the world. I’m very excited by the John Templeton foundation’s decision to choose our faculty to lead their research hub on this topic in the United States. Our activities will provide a center to attract experts from around the world to come and work with us.”