Hi, I’m Julia Frank!
Most people don’t start a computational physics PhD in their 40s… but here I am, doing just that. I study nanomagnets and use Linux, code, and machine learning to make sense of these tiny magnetic things. If you’re into science, tech, or just curious about the journey, this blog (and my YouTube channel) is for you.
What I Work On
01
Nanomagnetism
I explore how magnetic materials behave at the nanoscale—where things don’t always follow intuition. It’s a fascinating mix of order, noise, and surprise, and it gives us insight into how tiny magnetic systems respond to fields, temperature, and each other. It is actually quite fun!
02
Artificial Spin Ice
I work on Artificial Spin Ice systems – a sandbox of tiny magnetic dipoles arranged in neat patterns. It’s less about building the next big thing, and more about understanding how complex behaviours emerge from simple rules, which might one day inspire new ways to compute.
03
GPU Programming
I use GPU programming and high-performance computing to simulate magnetic systems using Monte Carlo sampling. My recent tool, ReplicaSim, helps me test ideas at scale so I can see what emerges when small systems grow big. It’s now a core part of how I explore complex behaviours fast.
