Research Interests
Last updated: Aug 6th 2019
I obtained my PhD from the University of Waterloo/Perimeter Institute in June 2012, under the supervision of Fotini Markopoulou and Lee Smolin. My PhD was in condensed matter models for quantum gravity, involving work in statistical physics of dynamical graphs models, renormalization group and black holes.
I'm interested in physics in a broad sense, classical and quantum, and in complexity theory. In particular, I'm interested in complex networks and statistical physics out of equilibrium (e.g. agent-based models, growing networks, memristors), but Quantum Gravity and Quantum Field Theory were part of my training. In any case stuff within and filling the Universe. My approach to science has been quite well described by V in a notorious movie, and my opinion about modern HEP well described by Monty Python.
I work on complex networks, cellular automata, machine learning, agent-based modeling, disordered systems and their applications to engineering and economics. I am a member of the YRNCS, EPSRC NetworkPlus on Emergence and Physics Far From Equilibrium, of the Complex Systems Society and EuroScience. I was one of the organizers of the first YRNCS Workshops (see picture), which worked quite well!!
You can find a list of publications here that I mantain, with citations that often count between inspirehep and google scholar ( instead here inspirehep, here arxiv, while here google scholar) and download my CV in the attached file below
At the bottom you can also find my PhD Thesis.
A page where I collected my unpublished work is here.
Struggling finding a symbol in latex? http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html Say thank you!
Here instead I've calculated the fractal dimension of tears.
A poster on growing networks with memory and another one (and newer one) on relaxation of memristive circuits.
A list of collaborators can be found here.
A very useful resource on memristor papers.
A google scholar link to classic papers here
You can find other less relevant stuff in the page here.
The link to the book, written together with F. Medda, A. Wilson and S. Caschili.
I will update my notes on A perspectrive on complex systems here (this is a work in progress).
In the meanwhile, you can find my slides prepared for YRNCS@ECCS14 here (2014). Same topic, Sydney Research Camp 2015:
I've recently been involved in some topological entropy calculations, for topological order in classical systems. See the nice picture below of a loop gas on a torus
In Los Alamos, I am currently Principal Investigator of three different DOE-funded projects.
2017-2020 (320k$): Neuromorphic Memcomputing via Interacting Neuromagnets
With Cristiano Nisoli (T4 at LANL). We have various papers under this grant
> FC, Locality of interactions for planar memristive circuits, PRE (2017) https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.00244
> Y. Lao, FC, [...], P Shiffer, C. Nisoli, Classical Topological Order in the kinetics of artificial spin ice, Nature Physics, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-018-0077-0
> FC, P. Barucca, A mean-field model of memristive circuit interaction, Eur. Phys. Lett. (2018), https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03001
> FC, C. Nisoli, Computation via Magnetic Memory Bites: integration of boolean gates, https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.09190
> FC, J. P. Carbajal, Memristors for the curious outsiders, Technologies (2019) https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.03389
> A. Zegarac, FC, Memristive Networks: from graph theory to statistical physics, Eur. Phys. Lett. Perspectives (2019), https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1209/0295-5075/125/10001/meta
> FC, Asymptotic behavior of memristive circuits, Entropy (2019) https://arxiv.org/abs/1712.07046
> FC, G.-W. Chern, C. Nisoli, Phase-change spin ice memory resistor, https://arxiv.org/abs/1908.08073
> FC, Spin-Dot interactions in Artificial Spin Ice: population inversion as an entropic effect, https://arxiv.org/abs/1911.07028
2018-2021 (~930k$): Towards Memristor Supremacy via Novel Machine Learning Algorithms
this is an experimental and theoretical collaboration with A. Lokhov, M. Vuffray, C. Coffrin, M. Dale and F. Sheldon. This collaboration is about using the results from Asymptotic behavior of memristive circuits and the connection between resistive circuits with memory and spin glasses. Results are coming soon!
2019-2022 (~910k$): Passive MemComputing in Lithographic Arrays of Interacting Magnetic Nanoislands
with C. Nisoli and A. Duzgun. This grant is based on the results of Computation via Magnetic Memory Bites: integration of boolean gates. We are just starting!
Me and Lyubov Tupikina organized a School on Spectral Methods for Complex Systems. The registration was open until December 2018.
Are you looking for past and current workshops?
Past Workshops
Emergent Topological Order in Classical Systems (2018)
Satellite of CCS 2016 in Amsterdam (2016)
Non-Stationarity and Ergodicity in Financial and Economic Systems
Summer School in Sydney
Sydney C^3 research camp notes: here.
Awards?
(Past) Invenia Award for machine learning with impact: have a look
My referee reviews in records:
As you might have understood already, I like to work on different subjects. I quote Andre Geim:
"Many people choose a subject for their PhD and then continue the same subject until they retire. I despise this approach. I have changed my subject five times before I got my first tenured position and that helped me to learn different subjects."
Statistical physics and Complexity
I have to say that I've a thing for little things running very fast and hitting anywhere then bouncing back. It reminds me playing soccer.
I was a grad student of Fotini Markopoulou and Lee Smolin. Fotini was is interested in Graphity models (an obvious subordinate clause is that I'm interested too).
I have a huge interest in "dynamical graphs", and I have applied it to learning devices such as memristors, and I work with Massimiliano Di Ventra and Fabio L. Traversa on this subject. Specifically, relaxation phenomena in memristive circuits.
I am also interested in complex networks and their applications. I work with Doyne Farmer, James McNerney, and Charles Savoie and on complex networks with memory with Alioscia Hamma and Massimiliano Di Ventra. More recently I started working with Fabio Caccioli and Marco Bardoscia on percolation models, with Phillip Staniczenko on ecological networks and with Cozmin Ududec, Tomaso Aste and Tiziana Di Matteo on multi-scaling in electricity markets.
Before I worked as a postdoc with Doyne Farmer on Technology evolution and currently collaborating (see a presentation here). I was in Oxford affiliated with the Mathematical Institute and the Santa Fe Institute for Complex Systems. After that, I was at UCL working on Agent-Based modelling with Francesca Medda. I am now a researcher for Invenia Labs and LIMS working on statistical physics, econophysics and machine learning methods.
See also here an exploration of percolation on directed graphs, with M. Bardoscia and F. Caccioli.
Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Gravity and Quantum Graphity
I started my Theoretical Physics studies at the Department Enrico Fermi in Pisa. During my PhD at University of Waterloo and Perimeter Institute as student of Fotini Markopoulou and Lee Smolin, I worked on Quantum Graphity, a toy-model for emergent geometry originated from Markopoulou and Konopka. That is the argument of my PhD thesis, although I worked on other subjects as well.
More infos on graphity.. my PhD thesis.. or these articles:
I also worked on black holes: mysterious objects in the skies which present ugly singularities which often get naked. They are dangerous, they tear the very foundations of physics and they stink of Planckian radiations.
Here a link to a Thesis on the philosophy of Quantum Gravity.
Here there is a recent talk I gave at Queen Mary on the subject.
More recently, with Leonardo Banchi I wrote a paper on quantum memory in cyclic universes (Berry Phases). It is available here.
Miscellanea
Our video on the generation of scale free graphs by reinforcement walkers:
There is also a picture of me in a couple of years from now. Also, I have Erdos number 3 (Simone Severini is a co-author, who has 2).
And in case there is any confusion:
If you are struggling in Science, don't worry.
You're not the first, nor the last to have to deal with morons.
Me explaining the basics of a good thesis.
Past Student (2017-2018): Ana Zegarac (LIMS)
Past Student (2016): Zhiguang Mu (Computer Science with S. Severini)
Past Student (2016): Fahad Syed (Computer Science with M. Herbster)
Past Student (2016): Xiong Haobo (Computer Science with M. Herbster)
Past Student (2014): Sameen Khan (Applied Mathematics, with B. Heydecker and P. Staniczenko),
A vintage photo of my first University year at Universitá di Pisa.
From the course of Tecnologie Digitali (2004/2005).
Also, I have a page of unpublished work here.
You might ask: why unpublished work? It's stuff I didn't feel like putting on the arXiv.
It is interesting that nowadays many "top" scientists can publish dozens of papers a year. These superhuman abilities are clearly relying on a lot of collaborators.
Maybe this poem will put things into perspective.
Who built Thebes of the seven gates?
In the books you will find the names of kings.
Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock?
And Babylon, many times demolished
Who raised it up so many times? In what houses
of gold-glittering Lima did the builders live?
Where, the evening that the Wall of China was finished
Did the masons go? Great Rome
Is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them? Over whom
Did the Caesars triumph? Had Byzantium, much praised in song
Only palaces for its inhabitans? Even in fabled Atlantis
The night the ocean engulfed it
The drowning still bawled for their slaves.
The young Alexander conquered India.
Was he alone?
Caesar beat the Gauls.
Did he not have even a cook with him?
Philip of Spain wept when his armada
Went down. Was he the only one to weep?
Frederick the Second won the Seven Year's War. Who
Else won it?
Every page a victory.
Who cooked the feast for the victors?
Every ten years a great man?
Who paid the bill?
So many reports.
So many questions.
By Berthold Brecht
Go back to the home here.