Anna Golubeva is one of the five star graduate students in the Department recently awarded a prestigious Vanier Scholarship (see article in Fall 2018 edition of the Entangler). Anna did her undergraduate studies in Biophysics at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. As she progressed through her degree, she became more and more interested in physics. She thus switched to theoretical physics for her MSc, also at Goethe University, focusing on computational methods to study the properties of ultracold atoms trapped by lasers in so-called optical lattices. While working on her research project for the completion of her master thesis, Anna sought for an opportunity to get a full picture of the various fields of theoretical physics before deciding about the direction of her postgraduate studies. It is then that she heard about Perimeter Scholar International (PSI) — a one-year masters program at the Perimeter Institute (PI) for Theoretical Physics. She applied successfully and moved to Waterloo in August 2016, after completion of her MSc in Germany.
During her BSc, Anna got interested in machine learning - a computational tool in Artificial Intelligence that recently found applications in different fields ranging from engineering to pharmaceutical research. Because of her interest in biophysics, the topic of machine learning and artificial intelligence captivated her. At PI, Anna was excited to learn that Prof. Melko, who is cross-appointed between the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Perimeter Institute, had just recently embarked energetically into research on how machine learning can be used to study complex quantum many-body systems. Anna did her PSI research project with Melko and, upon completion, joined his group to pursue a PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics, focusing on how machine learning can bring to bear on some of the most difficult problems in the field.
In her brief graduate student career, Anna has already co-authored five papers. Her main current interests is to understand how the “internal” operation of artificial networks actually leads to their various learning abilities, and how fragilities of these systems against what is called “adversarial attacks” can be explained. In a sense, the interests she originally had when starting a degree in biophysics are resurfacing in some forms as she tries to figure out what may be the emerging principles that govern machine learning. She is an exemplar of where multidisciplinary education can lead to unconventional perspectives and insights into complex and significant scientific problems and, it is therefore no surprise that she was awarded a Vanier Scholarship!
The future is promising for physics students that embrace theoretical or experimental physics methods, intertwining them with perspectives and outlooks in other areas of science and, with their drive, education and perspective, may lead to significant new insight and noted progress and, perhaps important breakthroughs. Waterloo Physics is glad and proud to have students of the likes of Anna Golubeva and is aspiring to attract an ever-growing cohort of such young creative researchers.
