Simons Foundation Courses

Design and Optimization of the Columbia Stellarator eXperiment

Explore the design and optimization of the Columbia Stellarator eXperiment (CSX), focusing on novel single-stage optimization techniques that simultaneously address plasma physics requirements and engineering constraints for fusion energy research.

• YouTube
• 21 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

The Non-Perturbative Adiabatic Invariant is All You Need

Discover a non-perturbative, data-driven averaging method for highly-oscillatory dynamical systems with marginal timescale separation, outperforming traditional asymptotic averaging in charged particle contexts.

• YouTube
• 19 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Regularization and Convergence of the Near-Axis Expansion

Dive into the numerical analysis of the near-axis expansion for stellarator configurations, exploring regularization techniques that ensure convergence and examining the relationship between radius of convergence and axis-coil distance.

• YouTube
• 19 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Databases and Discovery in Arithmetic

Explore how mathematical datasets are created, maintained, and their potential for breakthroughs in arithmetic research with Brendan Hassett's Presidential Lecture.

• YouTube
• 53 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Nonlinear Plasma Wave Dynamics in Magnetar Magnetospheres (February 27, 2025)

Explore nonlinear plasma wave dynamics in magnetars, focusing on how Alfvén waves triggered by crustal activities undergo transformations in extreme magnetic fields, potentially explaining observed multiwavelength emissions.

• YouTube
• 50 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Hidden Figures - Positrons - February 27, 2025

Explore how general relativistic simulations and ray tracers test particle energetics in black hole systems, with focus on positron signatures in M87 and implications for dark matter.

• YouTube
• 56 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Magnetic Keys to a Cosmic Puzzle (February 27, 2025)

Delve into the role of magnetic fields in ultra-high-energy cosmic ray acceleration and propagation, exploring how they may help identify the unknown sources of these energetic particles.

• YouTube
• 48 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Diffusion and Vortices in Strongly Coupled Plasmas (February 27, 2025)

Explore diffusion coefficients in strongly coupled plasmas and their impact on neutron star crust elasticity, with insights into vortex pinning and unpinning processes through molecular dynamics simulations.

• YouTube
• 49 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Fast Radio Bursts and Extreme Electromagnetism (February 28, 2025)

Explore the physics of fast radio bursts, their generation by magnetized neutron stars, and the extreme electromagnetic phenomena in the universe, including their connection to gravitational waves.

• YouTube
• 52 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Extreme Plasma Physics: From Astrophysics to the Laboratory

Explore extreme plasma physics and how high-intensity lasers and particle beams are creating laboratory conditions to study neutron stars and black holes, challenging our understanding of plasmas in extreme environments.

• YouTube
• 51 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Alfvénic Turbulence and Particle Acceleration

Explore the properties of Alfvénic turbulence in magnetized relativistic plasma, its role in particle acceleration, and its impact on astrophysical objects.

• YouTube
• 49 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Machine-Assisted Proofs in Mathematics - Future Roles and Developments

Explore the evolution and future potential of machine-assisted mathematics through renowned mathematician Terence Tao's comprehensive analysis of computational tools in mathematical proofs.

• YouTube
• 59 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Emergence of a Hexagonal Lattice in Drosophila Eye Development - November 20, 2024

Discover how mechanical forces drive the self-organization of fruit fly eye development, challenging previous biochemical models through groundbreaking research on tissue patterning and cell fate.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 3 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Waves of Topological Origin in Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond

Explore the fascinating link between atmospheric waves and quantum physics, discovering how topological patterns influence Earth's climate and potentially other planetary atmospheres.

• YouTube
• 53 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Simulating the Quantum World with Data-Free, Physics-Driven Machine Learning - October 30, 2024

Explore how artificial neural networks revolutionize quantum state simulations, offering innovative approaches to understanding electron behavior and advancing many-body quantum systems without data dependencies.

• YouTube
• 49 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video