Benjamin Schumacher
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Schumacher is a U.S. theoretical physicist, working mostly in the field of quantum information theory.
He discovered a way of interpreting quantum
states as information
. He came up with a way of compressing the information in a state, and storing the information in a smaller number of states. This is now known as Schumacher compression. This was the quantum analog of Shannon's noiseless coding theorem, and it helped to start the field known as quantum information theory.
Schumacher is also credited with inventing the term qubit
, which is to quantum computation as a bit
is to traditional computation.
He is the author of Physics in Spacetime, a textbook on Special Relativity
, and is also a professor at Kenyon College
, a small liberal arts college in rural Ohio. Also he holds the lecture on Quantum Mechanics
: The Physics of the Microscopic World in The Teaching Company
program.
Schumacher earned his bachelors degree at Hendrix College
and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin
.
He discovered a way of interpreting quantum
Quantum
In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction. Behind this, one finds the fundamental notion that a physical property may be "quantized," referred to as "the hypothesis of quantization". This means that the magnitude can take on only certain discrete...
states as information
Information theory
Information theory is a branch of applied mathematics and electrical engineering involving the quantification of information. Information theory was developed by Claude E. Shannon to find fundamental limits on signal processing operations such as compressing data and on reliably storing and...
. He came up with a way of compressing the information in a state, and storing the information in a smaller number of states. This is now known as Schumacher compression. This was the quantum analog of Shannon's noiseless coding theorem, and it helped to start the field known as quantum information theory.
Schumacher is also credited with inventing the term qubit
Qubit
In quantum computing, a qubit or quantum bit is a unit of quantum information—the quantum analogue of the classical bit—with additional dimensions associated to the quantum properties of a physical atom....
, which is to quantum computation as a bit
Bit
A bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
is to traditional computation.
He is the author of Physics in Spacetime, a textbook on Special Relativity
Special relativity
Special relativity is the physical theory of measurement in an inertial frame of reference proposed in 1905 by Albert Einstein in the paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies".It generalizes Galileo's...
, and is also a professor at Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
, a small liberal arts college in rural Ohio. Also he holds the lecture on Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
: The Physics of the Microscopic World in The Teaching Company
The Teaching Company
The Teaching Company is a Chantilly, Virginia company that produces recordings of lectures by university professors and high-school teachers. It sells the courses in CD, DVD, MPEG-4, and MP3 formats.- Background :...
program.
Schumacher earned his bachelors degree at Hendrix College
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas. The student body averages around 1,400 and currently represents forty-three states and fourteen foreign countries. In US News and World Report's America's Best Colleges, Hendrix is ranked annually in the top tier of...
and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
.
External links
- Zeroth Order Approximation - Blog by Benjamin Schumacher
- Benjamin Schumacher Homepage
- Quantum Mechanics: The Physics of the Microscopic World
- The Physics of Impossible Things, Speaker: Ben Schumacher, 03/12/2008, PIRSA - Perimeter Institute Recorded Seminar Archive