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Luke Coffman

Luke Coffman, a senior double majoring in physics and math, has been recognized for his outstanding research with a Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Award. The award is one of the top honors for graduating students in the Department of Physics.

The award was established in 2013 by alumnus Dr. Stephen White (Phys’63) to recognize exceptional undergraduate research projects. During his undergraduate studies at CU �鶹ӰԺ, Dr. White’s research experiences made an impact on his future career and led him to create the award. ��

Pursuing quantum research

Coffman has always been interested in quantum. One of the main reasons he enrolled at CU �鶹ӰԺ was the university’s top reputation in quantum sciences.

As a first-year student, he began quantum information theory research with Graeme Smith, former professor and JILA fellow. Coffman continued research with Xun Gao, assistant professor and associate fellow of JILA, which culminated in writing and defending an honors thesis.

His research project explored “quantum magic” in fermions (e.g. electrons) which essentially measures how difficult it is to replicate a quantum state using a classical computer. The more magic a state has, the more useful it is for quantum computation, and could be used to show a quantum advantage.

States that lack magic often have "Gaussian" properties, making a quantum version of the central limit theorem a powerful tool for studying magic. “Luke has made impressive progress in exploring how the central limit theorem can be generalized to fermionic systems – a direction that bridges classical statistics, quantum information, and even has potential applications in condensed matter and quantum chemistry,” said Gao.

Earning top honors and notable recognition��

The College of Arts & Sciences Honors Council awarded Coffman’s outstanding research project a summa cum laude designation. He was then awarded one of this semester’s Stephen Halley White Undergraduate Research Awards by the Physics Honors Council Representatives.

Jun Ye, professor adjoint of physics and JILA fellow, was the Physics Honors Council Representative on Coffman’s defense. “Luke wrote an outstanding honors thesis and gave a high-powered defense talk on a complex subject that connects classical statistics and fermionic quantum mechanics, with impact on quantum information and condensed matter.” Ye added, “he has the big picture and technical competence to do fun physics in the future.”

“It is an incredible honor to receive this award and a meaningful affirmation to keep pursuing the sometimes all-too-grueling process of research,” said Coffman. “I’m grateful to the physics department for cultivating a space where curiosity is not only encouraged but celebrated.”

Coffman has already received national recognition for his outstanding achievements in research. He was awarded an Astronaut Scholarship and a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024. Coffman also received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which provides a three-year stipend for graduate studies and professional development opportunities.

Beyond research, building community

While an undergraduate at CU �鶹ӰԺ, Coffman was deeply engaged in building community in physics and related disciplines. He served as co-president of the Society of Physics Students, and vice president of the student group COSMOS in the Department of Mathematics.

Coffman has also been part of Quantum Scholars since it was established in Spring 2023. “I was excited to find community with other students that were also exploring quantum science and engineering,” he said. Coffman and other scholars have played an active role in shaping the program. “It truly feels like a program built on addressing the changing needs of its students and the broader world of quantum by ensuring students in the program are guiding its future,” he added.��

What’s next?

After graduating this spring, Coffman will head to Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to continue researching quantum magic. This fall, he will pursue a PhD in quantum science at Harvard University.����

“Luke is a highly self-motivated student with strong foundations in both physics and mathematics, and it’s been exciting to see him deepen his understanding across these disciplines. I look forward to seeing what he contributes to these areas in the future,” said Gao.��