Miguel Mercado
MIT Department: Electrical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Luqiao Liu
Research Supervisor: Zhongqiang Hu
Undergraduate Institution: University of Southern California
Hometown: Palatine, Illinois
Website: LinkedIn
Biography
Miguel Mercado is an undergraduate at the University of Southern California pursuing a bachelor’s in Mathematics and a combined degree in Physics and Computer Science to become a mathematical physicist at a university. His research interest is condensed matter theory, particularly in developing mathematical frameworks to characterize novel phases of quantum matter. At USC, he works closely with Dr. Stephan Haas, pursuing theoretical research on the behavior of topological quantum phases and collaborating with scientists to develop quantum simulation technologies. At MIT, he works with Dr. Luqiao Liu to construct a theoretical framework for topological magnonic systems with applications for future classical and quantum computation. Additionally, he is keenly interested in disparities in education and access to mental health resources in public schools. Outside of research, he enjoys learning world instruments such as the charango and mandolin and plays in an alternative rock band.
