Shailesh Chandrasekharan

Shailesh Chandrasekharan is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, a position he has held since 2018. Prior to this, he served as Associate Professor of Physics (2005-2018) and Assistant Professor of Physics (1998-2004) at Duke. He has also held leadership roles including Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Physics (2011-2014, 2019).

Dr. Chandrasekharan received his education at prestigious institutions: a B.S. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (1989), followed by an M.A. (1992), M.Phil. (1994), and Ph.D. (1996) from Columbia University.

His research focuses on understanding quantum field theories non-perturbatively from first principles calculations, with particular emphasis on lattice formulations of these theories. He specializes in strongly correlated fermionic systems relevant to condensed matter, particle, and nuclear physics. A significant portion of his work involves developing novel Monte-Carlo algorithms to study quantum systems, with special attention to solutions for the notoriously difficult "sign problem" that affects quantum simulations. His expertise spans quantum computing applications, statistical physics, field theory, and critical phenomena.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on qubit regularization techniques for lattice gauge theories, quantum critical phenomena, and applications to quantum computing. His work bridges theoretical physics with computational methods, particularly in the areas of asymptotic freedom, quantum phase transitions, and non-perturbative approaches to quantum field theory. The research demonstrates consistent innovation in addressing fundamental challenges in quantum simulation.

Dr. Chandrasekharan has secured significant research funding, including the current "Lattice Gauge Theories on a Quantum Computer" project (2024-2028) as Principal Investigator, and long-term projects like "Lattice and Effective Field Theory Studies of Quantum Chromodynamics" (2005-2027) as Co-Principal Investigator. He currently advises PhD student Rui Xian Siew and has taught courses ranging from undergraduate General Physics to advanced graduate-level Quantum Mechanics and Electrodynamics.

His teaching portfolio demonstrates breadth across physics education, with recent courses including PHYSICS 122DL (General Physics II), PHYSICS 762 (Electrodynamics), and PHYSICS 765 (Advanced Quantum Mechanics), showing his commitment to both foundational and advanced physics education. His research continues to push the boundaries of quantum field theory simulation and quantum computing applications.