Saturday, June  28, 2025

(Session 2) Invited Talk: Kwon Park (School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS), Seoul)

Languages of two worlds: people vs. quantum

Kwon Park

School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS), Seoul

After giving public lectures on quantum mechanics, I often face a recurring question: Is it possible to understand quantum mechanics without using mathematics? A short answer is, “probably no.” But why is that the case? I believe there are two worlds: one for those who speak the language of quantum and another for those who do not. The language of quantum is expressed through the grammar known as mathematics. Therefore, without a solid understanding of mathematics, it is difficult to grasp the language of quantum and, consequently, to comprehend the world of quantum. Mastering the language of quantum opens up a whole new world that is invisible to the naked eye but has always been present in everyday life. However, to accomplish this, we need skilled translators who are fluent in both the languages of people and quantum. In this talk, I would like to share my journey to becoming such a translator.