Speaker: Dr. Cheng Guo - Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UT Austin

Abstract: Wave transport in complex media is a fundamental topic across physics, from electronic conduction in mesoscopic systems to light propagation in disordered photonic structures. While random-matrix theory has been remarkably successful at predicting universal transport properties by averaging over ensembles of random media, modern wavefront-shaping experiments typically probe a single, fixed medium using varying input states. This shift demands a different theoretical perspective—one centered on random waves rather than random media. In this talk, I will present our recent theoretical work on quantum transport in complex media from a random-wave perspective, focusing on three key areas:

● Probability Distribution: I will demonstrate that the probability distribution for the coherent transport of random waves in an arbitrary fixed medium universally takes a fundamental B-spline form.

● Unitary Control: We will explore the unitary control of quantum transport in a fixed medium via wavefront shaping, discussing capabilities and implementations of achieving desired transport responses—such as transmission, reflection, and absorption—for multi-mode, multi-objective control.

● Coherence Lattice: I will introduce the concept of coherence lattice in quantum transport. We will examine how the majorization lattice plays a fundamental role in transport phenomena, and how the supremum and infimum provide optimal, universal bounds for waves with varied coherence.

Date: Wednesday April 22th, 2026

Time: 1:00 - 2:00 P.M CST 

Location: EER 3.640