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Chris Jarzynski

University of Maryland

RQS Senior Investigator
Portrait of Chris Jarzynski

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Bio

Chris Jarzynski is a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Physics and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland. He is also a member of the Institute for Physical Science & Technology. Jarzynski leads a research group that focuses on statistical mechanics and thermodynamics at the molecular level, with a particular emphasis on far-from-equilibrium phenomena. He received his doctorate in physics from UC Berkeley in 1994.

Research Group

Recent News

  • A pencil concept sketch of a large round quantum thermodynamics machine.

    Maryland Quantum-Thermodynamics Hub Secures Funding for Three More Years

    September 11, 2025

    Co-led by RQS senior investigators Nicole Yunger Halpern and Christopher Jarzynski, the research hub is dedicated to exploring the intersection of quantum science and thermodynamics.

  • Visual of the Quantum research described in the article

    A New Take on the Oldest Physics: What Actually Happened Right After the Big Bang?

    April 7, 2025

    Zohreh Davoudi, Nicole Yunger Halpern, and Chris Jarzynski are collaborating to blend three disparate fields of physics—the study of elementary particles and their interactions, the understanding of temperature and heat in quantum mechanics, and quantum simulation—to create a novel approach to understanding and modeling the physics of the early universe and high-energy collisions.

  • An eight-inch in diameter sculpture blending steampunk’s brass and gears with the mind-bending world of quantum physics.

    RQS Senior Investigator Helps Sculpt Quantum Mechanics into Reality

    March 12, 2025

    Nicole Yunger Halpern teamed up with an artist to create a sculpture that brings quantum concepts to life.