Physical systems at nanoscopic scales or ultracold temperatures often exhibit pronounced quantum mechanical behavior. The laws of quantum mechanics are markedly different from classical mechanics, which opens up new possibilities for advanced applications in sensing, secure communication, computation and more. To harness this potential, fundamental studies are required that probe and characterize the quantum regime. To this end, the research team will employ an ultracold-atomic-gas platform as a well-controlled model system. Using laser-cooling and related techniques, a cloud of atoms will be cooled until a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) forms as a state of quantum mechanical matter. Additional specially tailored laser fields will be used to create a variety of quantum phases, and to study dynamics near critical points where phase transitions occur. Near these points small changes of system parameters can lead to strong changes in the properties of the system, making those points particularly promising for future sensing applications. The resulting data will provide important benchmarks for accompanying theoretical research. The experiments will be conducted at Washington State University, where they will play a key role in the education of students in the lab and in the classroom, contributing to the development of a workforce that is ready to meet the needs of the rapidly growing quantum industry. The research builds on extensive experience in the PI’s lab with spin-or