Applied Physics/Physics Colloquium: Ido Kaminer- "From π to QFT: Symbolic Discovery at Scale"

Abstract: For centuries, formulas for mathematical constants such as π and e appeared sporadically, discovered by figures like Newton, Euler, Gauss, and Ramanujan. Inspired by experimental physics, the Ramanujan Machine collaboration was established — a program of experimental mathematics that discovers formulas at scale, including new identities for π and for Riemann ζ‑values. This effort runs on a global volunteer network contributing CPU time, enabling the discovery of thousands of formulas — now surpassing the total found by humans over centuries. In the colloquium, Ido will demonstrate how combining these symbolic mathematical capabilities with large language models produced the first example of automated unification of mathematical knowledge, revealing deeper organizing structure among constants. The talk will then outline potential applications to theoretical physics: efficient computation of hypergeometric functions and broader families of D‑finite functions, with implications for computing Feynman integrals. As another application of massive symbolic computation to fundamental physics, Ido will describe the recent contribution to modern toolkits for automated effective field theory. As a proof of concept, the presentation will cover a massive automated scan for UV completions of gravity, showing how one‑loop contributions can reproduce general relativity as emergent curvature from flat‑space QFTs, and reporting new β‑functions for quantum corrections to gravity.

Prof. Kaminer is a physicist and electrical engineer who studies the frontiers of photonics, quantum optics, and laser-driven electron acceleration, using both theoretical and experimental methods. His AdQuanta Lab established the foundations of quantum electrodynamics with photonic quasiparticles, and his discoveries predict new phenomena that yield physical situations not encountered in natural settings. His research combines use of an electron microscope with a femtosecond pulsed laser, which is the first system of its kind in Israel and one of just a few in the entire world. The system’s spatial and temporal resolution is 10 times better than conventional microscopes, providing unprecedented capabilities in physics and materials research. In addition, their work on light-matter interactions in nanophotonics and 2D materials is leading to disruptive applications for novel light sources (e.g. X-ray sources for spectroscopy) and ultrafast detectors (e.g. scintillators for medical imaging.)

A third-generation Technion alumnus, Prof. Kaminer earned his degrees at the Technion and became the first Israeli ever to win an American Physical Society (APS) Award for his Ph.D. thesis. He conducted post-doctoral studies in physics at MIT and joined the Technion faculty in 2018.  He has received multiple awards and grants including the ERC Starting Grant (2020); the Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research (2021); the Adolph Lomb Medal (2022), the top international award for a scientist age 35 or younger in the field of optics (2022); and the ACS Photonics Young investigator Lectureship (2024) from the American Chemical Society. He is the 2021 laureate of the Blavatnik Award in Physical Sciences & Engineering in Israel, and during the same year, was elected into the Israeli Young Academy, based on excellence in research and social involvement.