Skip to content
IOP Science

Lei Wang, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Lei-WangLei Wang got his Bachelor’s degree from Nanjing University in 2006 and Ph.D. from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. He did postdoctoral research on computational quantum physics at ETH Zurich in the next few years. Lei Wang joined the Institute of Physics in 2016. His research interest is at the cross-section of machine learning and quantum many-body computation.

What is the focus of your research at the moment?

My research focuses on in interface of generative AI and condensed matter physics. Generative AI aims at modelling, learning, and sampling from high-dimensional probability distributions. It has a natural connection to many topics in condensed matter physics which focuses on emergent phenomena of many-particle systems in Nature. In the past, I have worked on minimizing nature’s cost function — the variational free energy — with the help of generative models. At the moment, I am crafting a generative model for crystalline materials with space group symmetries.

What do you consider to be the biggest advancement in quantum science to date?

To me, the biggest advancement in quantum science is the combination of a few very simple quantum mechanical principles with computational tools to predict the complex world, ranging from semiconductors, superconductivities, magnetism, chemistry, etc.

In your opinion, what could be the next big breakthrough for the field of quantum science and technology?

Hard to predict. In my biased view, I would bet on an agent that automates the exploration of the materials space, which may give better superconductors.

What role does the journal Machine Learning: Science and Technology play in supporting research in the field?

It creates a town square for interdisciplinary works to be displayed to scientists with vastly different backgrounds. Fast dissemination of information, especially across language barriers between fields is important to today’s technical advances. MLST has done a great job.