Quantum Sense: Addressed to the Inhabitants of the Universe on the Subject of Dark Matter

​​​About the Lecture

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for the development of the next generation of quantum technologies, including quantum sensing. In this lecture, I will discuss how we use quantum sensing to search for minuscule signals from the axion, a leading candidate for dark matter — invisible, feebly interacting particles thought to make up the majority of the mass in the Universe. Innovations in superconducting circuits have opened the door not only to possible axion detection but also to a host of other applications. I will highlight two axion searches at Stanford University: the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) and the DM Radio experiment. Both use radio technology to look for an electromagnetic signal generated by axions interacting with a magnetic field, and their fundamental experimental designs can be simplified and replicated for broader impact in educational settings. The discovery of the axion would undoubtedly revolutionize our understanding of physics and our place in the Universe.

About the Speaker

Chelsea Bartram is an experimental particle physicist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, where she works as a Panofsky Fellow. Growing up in Ohio, where the phenomena of electromagnetism often revealed themselves in dramatic thunderstorms, Chelsea became fascinated by the light she couldn’t see — including radio waves. This early curiosity about invisible light inspired her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in physics at Boston University, during which she spent six months conducting research at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. Chelsea then went on to pursue her Ph.D. in physics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Washington. In recent years, she has returned to her early love of electromagnetism through her search for axion dark matter. She is passionate about uncovering the mysteries of dark matter by combining both traditional and cutting-edge tools — radio technology and quantum sensing.

Directions and Parking

This event will take place in the Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning (376 Lomita Dr.), Room 111. Upon arrival, please follow the directional signs and check in at the foyer.

The closest visitor parking is available on Roth Way, Lomita Dr., in the Roth Way Garage, and along the Stanford Oval. All parking is free in spaces marked Visitor, A, or C after 4pm unless indicated otherwise. Accessible parking is also available in the locations listed above.

If you plan to take public transportation, some lines of the Marguerite Shuttle connect the Palo Alto Transit Center and Caltrain stations to campus. You can get to the Science Teaching & Learning Center by taking Line P (drops off at the Stanford Oval) or Line X (drops off at the Grant Building). A complete list of shuttle schedules and route maps can be found here.

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