Exploring the Physics of Information

Information has become increasingly important in how we understand our world, from sprawling social networks to the tiniest building blocks of matter. The idea that information underlies reality has long fascinated physicist Fabio Anza, a postdoctoral fellow at the Complexity Sciences Center who researches quantum mechanics and quantum information theory. Anza explained that in the quantum realm, information is much like energy — it can take many different forms, but they are all varieties of the same fundamental substance.

“If we look at history, the industrial revolution was fueled by the physics of energy, which led us to understand how to manipulate energy at the macroscopic scale. Now, we are building a new paradigm, it is the physics of information,” Anza said. “I believe that understanding how systems exchange information, and how to manipulate it, is key to fuel and sustain the next technological revolution.”

Anza, who is based in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has received a business development fellowship from the UC Davis Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to explore business solutions for technological problems in quantum information science and quantum computing.

The fellowship is a year-long program which provides scientists and engineers with hands-on experience in developing business skills, either for a career in industry or to develop a business venture. Anza also holds a three-year fellowship from the Templeton World Charity Foundation to study the complex behavior of quantum systems, both for basic science and for future technological applications. “I think there is a huge amount of opportunities in applying these ideas to business ventures,” Anza said.

— Becky Oskin, content strategist in the College of Letters and Science