Carmelo Mordini

During my doctoral studies in the experimental group of the BEC Center in Trento, I explored a variety of topics on the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates. My leading project focused on studying the thermodynamic properties of a single species, three-dimensional condensate of weakly interacting atoms. For this, I developed a novel single-shot imaging technique for highly dense atomic samples, which allowed the first measurement of the canonical equation of state of this quantum gas.

In the last years of the Ph.D., and later as a postdoc in the same group, I participated in the construction of a new experimental apparatus dedicated to spin mixtures of BECs, where I collaborated on several projects related to superfluidity of spinor condensates and the dynamics of their solitonic excitations. I was involved in both the experimental activity and the development of theory and numerical simulations accompanying the experiments.

Moving to Zurich as a postdoc in the group of Trapped Ions Quantum Information at ETH, I specialized in ion trapping in a novel type of surface electrode traps with integrated photonics. We investigated the use of this promising combination of technologies as a tool for implementing scalable computing platforms, and for manipulating atom-light interactions via engineered laser fields. Finally, I supervised a number of projects related to the transport and manipulation of ion crystals in both surface and 3D traps.

In both places I built a strong experience in didactics, both supervising students for research projects and teaching in university courses. I took part in several dissemination activities, connecting my job as an experimental physicist with the surrounding context of university and industry: examples of this are the hackathon event "Industrial Problem Solving with Physics" in Trento, the "Nacht der Physik" science fair in Zurich, and other outreach events open to high-school and university students.