Biography

• Postdoc, Physics Department, University of Maryland (2020-2022)
• Postdoc, Nuclear Theory Group, Brookhaven National Lab (2017-2020)

Research

My research is dedicated to advancing scientific exploration through the lens of quantum information science and technology. Specifically, I focus on quantum simulation, employing a diverse range of platforms to tackle complex challenges in nuclear and high-energy physics. My focus extends beyond traditional boundaries, encompassing interdisciplinary investigations into condensed matter and atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) systems. One of the key motivations driving my research is the opportunity to overcome computational complexity, a longstanding obstacle in the theoretical exploration of strongly correlated systems across various contexts. I am particularly fascinated by the innovative paradigms rooted in quantum information science, which offer fresh perspectives on both longstanding and emerging problems.

A central area of concentration in my work lies at the “entanglement frontier.” Here, I am actively engaged in developing analytical and computational tools to, for instance, understand thermalization (see e.g. a recent IQuS workshop) and non-equilibrium phenomena in subatomic systems and beyond — even preceding the full maturation of quantum technology for precise simulation. Exploring quantum, thermal, and topological phases in interdisciplinary settings is another facet of my research, alongside random-measurement protocols and entanglement tomography. Additionally, I am working on the intersections of lattice gauge theories and quantum error correction.

Selected Publications

• “High-Energy Collisions of Quarks and Hadrons in the Schwinger Model: From Tensor Networks to Circuit QED”, Ron Belyanski, Seth Whitsitt, Niklas Mueller, Ali Fahimniya, Elizabeth R. Bennewitz, Zohreh Davoudi, Alexey Gorshkov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 091903 (2024)
• “Randomized measurement protocols for lattice gauge theories”, Jacob Bringewatt, Jonathan Kunjummen, Niklas Mueller, Quantum 8 (2024), 1300
• “Quantum Information Science and Technology for Nuclear Physics. INput into U.S. Long-Range Planning, 2023” Beck et al. arXiv:2303.00113 (2023)
• “Quantum computation of dynamical quantum phase transitions and entanglement tomography in a lattice gauge theory”, Niklas Mueller, Joseph A. Carolan, Andrew Connelly, Zohreh Davoudi, Eugene F. Dumitrescu, Kübra Yeter-Aydeniz, PRX Quantum 4, 030323 (2023)
• Toward Quantum Computing Phase Diagrams of Gauge Theories with Thermal Pure Quantum States”, Z. Davoudi, Niklas Mueller, C. Powers, Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 081901 (2023)
• “Thermalization of gauge theories from their Entanglement Spectrum”,  Niklas Mueller, Torsten Zache, Robert Ott, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129 (2022), 13112

Impact

As a proud first-generation college student, I am committed to improving opportunities within higher education and academia for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Currently, my focus centers on improving research opportunities for undergraduates, aiming to contribute to more equitable graduate school admissions countrywide.