Quantum Information
On 19-20 February 2025, the Royal Society will hold a conference on the future of quantum-based computing, networks and sensing systems.
The United Nations has proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. This conference aims to contribute to the year-long celebrations of quantum science and its applications.
Over two days, industry leaders, top scientists and key public sector stakeholders will convene to highlight advances and prospects in quantum innovation and consider the scientific and technical challenges facing the field. Discussions will focus on the future of quantum information processing and related technologies, examining what support is needed to scale existing technologies and which predictions for the future are both ambitious and realistic.
Transforming our future conferences
This conference forms part of the Royal Society's industry-focused Transforming our future series. These unique meetings feature cutting-edge science and bring together experts from industry, academia and government to explore and address key scientific and technical challenges of the coming decade.
Organisers
Schedule
09:30-09:35 |
Welcome & opening remarks
Professor Sheila Rowan FRSUniversity of Glasgow Professor Sheila Rowan FRSUniversity of Glasgow Professor Sheila Rowan is the Chair of Natural Philosophy and since 2009, Director of the Institute for Gravitational Research in the University of Glasgow in the UK. She received her BSc (1991) and PhD (1995) in the field of gravitational wave instrumentation from the University of Glasgow, and subsequently held research positions split between Stanford University and Glasgow before returning full time to a Faculty position in Glasgow in 2003. She was awarded a Leverhulme Prize for Astronomy and Astrophysics in 2005, elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2008 and elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 2018. She received the Hoyle Medal and Prize of the Institute of Physics in 2016 in recognition of her pioneering research on aspects of the technology of gravitational wave observatories. She is currently President Elect of the UK Institute of Physics. |
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09:35-09:40 |
Introduction to keynote
Professor Martin Dawson FRSUniversity of Strathclyde Professor Martin Dawson FRSUniversity of Strathclyde Martin Dawson is professor and director of research at the University of Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics, which he helped establish almost 25 years ago. Since 2012 he has also been the inaugural Head of the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fraunhofer CAP) in Glasgow. Martin has contributed broadly to laser and semiconductor research including ultrafast lasers, optically-pumped semiconductor lasers, diamond photonics and micro-LEDs, the latter of which is now emerging globally as a new form of commercial display technology. He holds fellowships of the IEEE, OSA, Institute of Physics and Royal Society of Edinburgh, and he has been awarded the Dennis Gabor Medal and Prize of the IOP and the Aron Kressel Award of the IEEE. |
09:40-10:20 |
Opening keynote: The first 100 years of quantum
Professor Sir Peter Knight FRSNational Physical Laboratory & UK National Quantum Technology Programme Professor Sir Peter Knight FRSNational Physical Laboratory & UK National Quantum Technology Programme Knight is Chair of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme Strategy Advisory Board and has been involved in the creation of the UK Quantum programme since its inception, including the creation of the UK Quantum Strategy and the commitment of £2.5bn over the next decade to the field. He chairs the Quantum Metrology Institute at the National Physical Laboratory and is Senior Research Investigator at Imperial College where until 2010 he was Deputy Rector (Research). He was knighted in 2005 for his work in optical physics. Knight was the 2004 President of the Optical Society of America and 2011-2013 President of the Institute of Physics. He was until 2010 chair of the UK Defence Scientific Advisory Council and remains a UK Government science advisor. His research centres on quantum optics, nonclassical light and quantum technology. He has won the Thomas Young Medal and the Glazebrook Medal of the Institute of Physics, the Ives Medal and the Walther Medal and Prize of the OSA, the Royal Medal of the Royal Society and the Faraday Prize of the IET. |
10:20-10:30 |
Q&A
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Chair
Professor Elham Kashefi
National Quantum Computing Centre
Professor Elham Kashefi
National Quantum Computing Centre
Elham Kashefi is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Research at CNRS, Sorbonne Universite. She has pioneered a trans-disciplinary research environment, investigating all aspects of quantum computing and communicating from application all the way to actual implementation and industrial exploitation. She is the associate director of the EPSRC Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub and executive team leader for the Flagship Quantum Internet Alliance in charge of applications development. She is co-Founder of VeriQloud, a quantum startup in security. She has been awarded the UK EPSRC established career fellowship, the US Airforce Cyber Security grant and the French ATOS chair.
10:30-10:35 |
Introduction to Session 1
Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Elham Kashefi is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Research at CNRS, Sorbonne Universite. She has pioneered a trans-disciplinary research environment, investigating all aspects of quantum computing and communicating from application all the way to actual implementation and industrial exploitation. She is the associate director of the EPSRC Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub and executive team leader for the Flagship Quantum Internet Alliance in charge of applications development. She is co-Founder of VeriQloud, a quantum startup in security. She has been awarded the UK EPSRC established career fellowship, the US Airforce Cyber Security grant and the French ATOS chair. |
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10:35-10:50 |
Talk 1
Professor Andrew Daley, University of Strathclyde, UK
Professor Andrew Daley, University of Strathclyde, UKAndrew Daley is Professor of Theoretical Quantum Optics in the Department of Physics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Originally from Auckland, New Zealand, he completed his doctoral studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, in 2005, and was a senior scientist in Innsbruck and then an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh before moving to Scotland in 2013. His research centres on the interface between quantum optics and many-body physics, especially exploring new possibilities to study out-of-equilibrium dynamics with strongly interacting quantum gases of atoms and molecules in optical potentials. He is currently PI of an EPSRC Programme Grant on ‘Designing out of equilibrium many-body quantum systems’. |
10:50-11:05 |
Talk 2
Professor Kristel MichielsenForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Professor Kristel MichielsenForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH |
11:05-11:15 |
Q&A
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Chair
Dr Jennifer Hastie
University of Strathclyde
Dr Jennifer Hastie
University of Strathclyde
11:45-11:50 |
Introduction to Session 2
Dr Jennifer HastieUniversity of Strathclyde Dr Jennifer HastieUniversity of Strathclyde |
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11:50-12:05 |
Talk 1
Dr Steve BrierleyRiverlane Ltd Dr Steve BrierleyRiverlane Ltd Steve Brierley founded Riverlane in 2016 to build the error correction stack for quantum computers. Driven by his conviction that fault-tolerant quantum computers will accelerate human progress, Riverlane partners with leading quantum hardware companies to make that happen sooner. Steve has worked in quantum for over 20 years and is an expert advisor to the UK government. He holds a PhD in quantum information, spent a decade in the intelligence community and worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge leading major research projects in quantum computing. In January 2024, Steve was awarded an OBE for his services to quantum computing. |
12:05-12:20 |
Talk 2
Dr Richard MurrayORCA Computing Dr Richard MurrayORCA Computing Richard co-founded ORCA Computing in 2019. He is an accomplished business executive and technologist with a PhD in quantum atom-optics and over 15 years of experience managing scientific teams working on disruptive early-stage technologies such as quantum, AR/VR and other consumer and industrial applications of photonics. Under Richard's leadership, the company has grown to a team of over 65 people and expanded its global presence by establishing U.S. headquarters in Austin, Texas, following a strategic acquisition in 2024. He developed a roadmap focused on building a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer. Previously, Richard worked for the UK government alongside Sir Peter Knight creating the £270m UK quantum technologies program. He was also pivotal in the early stages of the €1 billion EU quantum flagship program. |
12:20-12:35 |
Talk 3
Dr Elvira ShisheninaQuantinuum Dr Elvira ShisheninaQuantinuum |
12:35-12:45 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Leigh Lapworth
Rolls-Royce plc
Professor Leigh Lapworth
Rolls-Royce plc
Prof Leigh Lapworth is a Rolls-Royce Engineering Fellow specialising in Computational Science with over 30 years’ experience of developing and applying physics-based simulation using High Performance Supercomputers. He led the development of the Rolls-Royce corporate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Other previous roles include Chief Design Systems Architect and Head of Computational Science. He has led several successful industrial-academic collaborative research projects. The most recent being a pre-exascale EPSRC Prosperity Partnership. Leigh leads the Rolls-Royce Quantum Computing initiative. To date this includes three Innovate UK co-funded projects and a small portfolio of directly funded projects with national and international partners. These focus on algorithms for error corrected computers and the hybrid classical-quantum interface.
Leigh is a Chartered Mathematician and Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Warwick.
13:45-13:50 |
Introduction to Session 3
Professor Leigh LapworthRolls-Royce plc Professor Leigh LapworthRolls-Royce plc Prof Leigh Lapworth is a Rolls-Royce Engineering Fellow specialising in Computational Science with over 30 years’ experience of developing and applying physics-based simulation using High Performance Supercomputers. He led the development of the Rolls-Royce corporate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Other previous roles include Chief Design Systems Architect and Head of Computational Science. He has led several successful industrial-academic collaborative research projects. The most recent being a pre-exascale EPSRC Prosperity Partnership. Leigh leads the Rolls-Royce Quantum Computing initiative. To date this includes three Innovate UK co-funded projects and a small portfolio of directly funded projects with national and international partners. These focus on algorithms for error corrected computers and the hybrid classical-quantum interface. Leigh is a Chartered Mathematician and Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Warwick. |
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13:50-14:05 |
Talk 1
Dr Carmen Palacios-BerraqueroNu Quantum Dr Carmen Palacios-BerraqueroNu Quantum |
14:05-14:20 |
Talk 2
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14:20-14:35 |
Talk 3
Professor Alexander TzalenchukNPL & Royal Holloway Professor Alexander TzalenchukNPL & Royal Holloway |
14:35-14:45 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Roberto Desimone
Plantagenet Systems
Professor Roberto Desimone
Plantagenet Systems
15:15-15:25 |
Introduction to Panel discussion
Professor Roberto DesimonePlantagenet Systems Professor Roberto DesimonePlantagenet Systems |
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15:25-16:25 |
Quantum innovation - what support is needed?
Dr Eleni DiamantiCNRS Dr Eleni DiamantiCNRS Ilyas KhanQuantinuum Ilyas KhanQuantinuum Ilyas founded Cambridge Quantum in 2014 and was the founding CEO of Quantinuum, the company created as a result of the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum. As well as being Vice-Chairman of the board of directors, he is also the Chief Product Officer of Quantinuum and part of the executive leadership team of the company. He is the Leader in Residence at the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School where he was instrumental in establishing the highly regarded Accelerate Cambridge program of investment in early-stage Cambridge-based deep-science technology sector companies. Ilyas was the inaugural Chairman of The Stephen Hawking Foundation, holding the post until 2019. He is also the founding Chairman (non-executive) of the Topos Institute. He is also a fellow of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge. Ilyas is recognised as one of the founders and leading voices in the quantum computing industry globally. Dr Andrew Shields FREng, Toshiba Cambridge, UK
Dr Andrew Shields FREng, Toshiba Cambridge, UKAndrew Shields FREng is the Assistant Managing Director at Toshiba Research Europe in Cambridge, where he directs Toshiba’s R&D in Quantum Technologies. His research team study semiconductor devices for generating, manipulating and detecting single photons, as well as their applications in quantum communications, imaging, sensing and computing. He has co-authored over 250 scientific papers in the field, which have been cited over 10,000 times and filed over 50 inventions. He currently serves as Chair of the Industry Specification Group for Quantum Key Distribution of ETSI (the European Telecommunications Standardisation Institute). In 2013 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and awarded the Mott Medal by the Institute of Physics. |
Chair
Professor Roberto Desimone
Plantagenet Systems
Professor Roberto Desimone
Plantagenet Systems
09:30-09:35 |
Welcome & opening remarks
Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Elham Kashefi is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Research at CNRS, Sorbonne Universite. She has pioneered a trans-disciplinary research environment, investigating all aspects of quantum computing and communicating from application all the way to actual implementation and industrial exploitation. She is the associate director of the EPSRC Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub and executive team leader for the Flagship Quantum Internet Alliance in charge of applications development. She is co-Founder of VeriQloud, a quantum startup in security. She has been awarded the UK EPSRC established career fellowship, the US Airforce Cyber Security grant and the French ATOS chair. |
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09:35-09:40 |
Introduction to keynote
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UK
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UKProfessor John Rarity FRS is head of Quantum Engineering Technology Labs (Physics and E&EE) and Photonics Group (E&EE) at the University of Bristol (since 2003). He is an international expert on quantum optics, communications and sensing exploiting single photons and entanglement. He pioneered early experiments in path entanglement, quantum key distribution and quantum metrology. Current research focusses on non-linear waveguide sources of pair photons, integrated quantum photonics, sub-shot noise imaging schemes, long wavelength quantum sensing, free space quantum communications, multi-photon entanglement and nanocavities for spin photon interfaces. |
09:40-10:10 |
The next 100 years of quantum
Professor Jian-Wei PanUniversity of Science and Technology of China Professor Jian-Wei PanUniversity of Science and Technology of China Jian-Wei Pan, born on 11 March 1970, received his Bachelor (1992) and Master (1995) in Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and his PhD (1999) from the University of Vienna. He is currently a Professor of Physics of the USTC, an Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Jian-Wei Pan’s research fields focus on quantum foundations, quantum optics and quantum information. He has authored more than 400 articles which have attracted more than 73000 citations (Google scholar). Pan has won First Prize of National Prize for Natural Sciences of China, Future Science Prize in Physical Sciences, Willis E. Lamb Award, Newcomb Cleveland Prize form American Association for the Advancement of Science, R. W. Wood Prize from Optical Society of America, Micius Quantum Prize and Zeiss Research Award, and was selected by Nature as “people of the year” in 2017 who “took quantum communication to space and back”. |
10:10-10:20 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Martin Dawson FRS
University of Strathclyde
Professor Martin Dawson FRS
University of Strathclyde
Martin Dawson is professor and director of research at the University of Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics, which he helped establish almost 25 years ago. Since 2012 he has also been the inaugural Head of the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fraunhofer CAP) in Glasgow. Martin has contributed broadly to laser and semiconductor research including ultrafast lasers, optically-pumped semiconductor lasers, diamond photonics and micro-LEDs, the latter of which is now emerging globally as a new form of commercial display technology. He holds fellowships of the IEEE, OSA, Institute of Physics and Royal Society of Edinburgh, and he has been awarded the Dennis Gabor Medal and Prize of the IOP and the Aron Kressel Award of the IEEE.
10:20-10:25 |
Introduction to Session 4
Professor Martin Dawson FRSUniversity of Strathclyde Professor Martin Dawson FRSUniversity of Strathclyde Martin Dawson is professor and director of research at the University of Strathclyde’s Institute of Photonics, which he helped establish almost 25 years ago. Since 2012 he has also been the inaugural Head of the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fraunhofer CAP) in Glasgow. Martin has contributed broadly to laser and semiconductor research including ultrafast lasers, optically-pumped semiconductor lasers, diamond photonics and micro-LEDs, the latter of which is now emerging globally as a new form of commercial display technology. He holds fellowships of the IEEE, OSA, Institute of Physics and Royal Society of Edinburgh, and he has been awarded the Dennis Gabor Medal and Prize of the IOP and the Aron Kressel Award of the IEEE. |
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10:25-10:40 |
Talk 1
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UK
Professor John Rarity FRS, University of Bristol, UKProfessor John Rarity FRS is head of Quantum Engineering Technology Labs (Physics and E&EE) and Photonics Group (E&EE) at the University of Bristol (since 2003). He is an international expert on quantum optics, communications and sensing exploiting single photons and entanglement. He pioneered early experiments in path entanglement, quantum key distribution and quantum metrology. Current research focusses on non-linear waveguide sources of pair photons, integrated quantum photonics, sub-shot noise imaging schemes, long wavelength quantum sensing, free space quantum communications, multi-photon entanglement and nanocavities for spin photon interfaces. |
10:40-10:55 |
Talk 2
Gerard MilburnThe University of Sussex Gerard MilburnThe University of Sussex Gerard Milburn obtained a PhD in theoretical Physics from the University of Waikato in 1982. In 1994 he was appointed Professor in Physics at The University of Queensland. He is currently a Fellow at The National Quantum Computing Centre, UK and the University of Sussex. He has worked in the fields of quantum optics, quantum stochastic processes, atom optics, quantum control and most recently in engineered quantum systems including opto mechanics and superconducting quantum circuits. Gerard Milburn is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Australian Academy of Science and the American Physical Society. He is the author of five books including Quantum Optics (with Dan Walls), Quantum Measurement and Control (with Howard Wiseman) and Quantum Opto mechanics (with Warwick Bowen). |
Chair
Dr Jonathan Matthews, Department of Physics, University of Bristol, UK
Dr Jonathan Matthews, Department of Physics, University of Bristol, UK
Jonathan Matthews is an Associate Professor in Quantum Technology at QETLabs (University of Bristol) where he leads a quantum enhanced sensing activity. His early research efforts focused on integrated quantum photonics, e.g. silica waveguides to control photonic quantum states for primitive quantum information demonstrators and higher refractive index contrast waveguide arrays for multi-photon quantum walks. His current efforts focus on discrete and continuous variables strategies to perform quantum sensing and imaging, and the development of CV capabilities in silicon photonics. His research is supported by an EPSRC early career fellowship, an ERC starting grant and the Quantic quantum-imaging hub.
11:35-11:40 |
Introduction to Session 5
Dr Jonathan Matthews, Department of Physics, University of Bristol, UK
Dr Jonathan Matthews, Department of Physics, University of Bristol, UKJonathan Matthews is an Associate Professor in Quantum Technology at QETLabs (University of Bristol) where he leads a quantum enhanced sensing activity. His early research efforts focused on integrated quantum photonics, e.g. silica waveguides to control photonic quantum states for primitive quantum information demonstrators and higher refractive index contrast waveguide arrays for multi-photon quantum walks. His current efforts focus on discrete and continuous variables strategies to perform quantum sensing and imaging, and the development of CV capabilities in silicon photonics. His research is supported by an EPSRC early career fellowship, an ERC starting grant and the Quantic quantum-imaging hub. |
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11:40-11:55 |
Talk 1
Dr Helena KnowlesUniversity of Cambridge Dr Helena KnowlesUniversity of Cambridge |
11:55-12:10 |
Talk 2
Professor Alessandro FedrizziHeriot-Watt University Professor Alessandro FedrizziHeriot-Watt University |
12:10-12:25 |
Talk 3
Professor Miles Padgett FRS, University of Glasgow, UK
Professor Miles Padgett FRS, University of Glasgow, UKMiles Padgett holds the Kelvin Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. He leads QuantIC, a quantum imaging centre, and one of four Quantum Technology hubs in the UK. In 2001 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and in 2014 a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK's National Academy. In 2009, with Les Allen, he won the Institute of Physics Young Medal, in 2014 the RSE Kelvin Medal and in 2015 the Science of Light Prize from the European Physical Society. |
12:25-12:35 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Leigh Lapworth
Rolls-Royce plc
Professor Leigh Lapworth
Rolls-Royce plc
Prof Leigh Lapworth is a Rolls-Royce Engineering Fellow specialising in Computational Science with over 30 years’ experience of developing and applying physics-based simulation using High Performance Supercomputers. He led the development of the Rolls-Royce corporate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Other previous roles include Chief Design Systems Architect and Head of Computational Science. He has led several successful industrial-academic collaborative research projects. The most recent being a pre-exascale EPSRC Prosperity Partnership. Leigh leads the Rolls-Royce Quantum Computing initiative. To date this includes three Innovate UK co-funded projects and a small portfolio of directly funded projects with national and international partners. These focus on algorithms for error corrected computers and the hybrid classical-quantum interface.
Leigh is a Chartered Mathematician and Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Warwick.
13:35-13:40 |
Introduction to Session 6
Professor Leigh LapworthRolls-Royce plc Professor Leigh LapworthRolls-Royce plc Prof Leigh Lapworth is a Rolls-Royce Engineering Fellow specialising in Computational Science with over 30 years’ experience of developing and applying physics-based simulation using High Performance Supercomputers. He led the development of the Rolls-Royce corporate CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Other previous roles include Chief Design Systems Architect and Head of Computational Science. He has led several successful industrial-academic collaborative research projects. The most recent being a pre-exascale EPSRC Prosperity Partnership. Leigh leads the Rolls-Royce Quantum Computing initiative. To date this includes three Innovate UK co-funded projects and a small portfolio of directly funded projects with national and international partners. These focus on algorithms for error corrected computers and the hybrid classical-quantum interface. Leigh is a Chartered Mathematician and Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in Computer Science at the University of Warwick. |
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13:40-13:55 |
Talk 1
Professor Ashley MontanaroPhasecraft Professor Ashley MontanaroPhasecraft Ashley has worked in the field of quantum computing for 20 years, specialising in quantum algorithms and quantum computational complexity, and has published over 50 papers on this topic. He holds a PhD in quantum computing from the University of Bristol and is Professor of Quantum Computation there. Ashley was awarded a Whitehead Prize in 2017 by the London Mathematical Society and was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2018. He has served on the Steering Committee of the international conference on Quantum Information Processing (QIP), was a Founding Editor of the journal Quantum, and was a cofounder of the Quantum Computing Theory in Practice conference series. Ashley cofounded Phasecraft with Toby Cubitt and John Morton to develop breakthrough quantum algorithms to get the most out of near-term quantum computers.. |
13:55-14:10 |
Talk 2
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14:10-14:25 |
Talk 3
Dr Jennifer HastieUniversity of Strathclyde Dr Jennifer HastieUniversity of Strathclyde |
14:25-14:35 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Jim Al-Khalili
University of Surrey
Professor Jim Al-Khalili
University of Surrey
Jim Al-Khalili CBE FRS HonFREng is an academic, author, broadcaster and well-known science communicator. He is currently Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey where he continues his research in open quantum systems, the foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum biology. Along with around 150 peer-reviewed research papers, he has written fifteen books, between them translated into over twenty-six languages. His book on Medieval Arabic Science, Pathfinders, was shortlisted for the Warwick Prize latest book, and his 2020 book, The World According to Physics, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Book Prize. He is currently writing a popular science book on the nature of time. As a broadcaster, he is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries, such as Atom, Shock and Awe: the Story of Electricity and the Bafta nominated Chemistry: a volatile history. He is probably best-known in the UK for his long-running BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific. Jim is a past president of both the British Science Association and Humanists UK and is a recipient of the Royal Society Michael Faraday medal and the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar medal, the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal and the Stephen Hawking medal and has received honorary doctorates from nine UK universities. He is a trustee and commissioner on the board of the 1851 Royal Commission and a Fellow of the Science Museums Group.
15:05-15:15 |
Introduction to Panel discussion
Professor Jim Al-KhaliliUniversity of Surrey Professor Jim Al-KhaliliUniversity of Surrey Jim Al-Khalili CBE FRS HonFREng is an academic, author, broadcaster and well-known science communicator. He is currently Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey where he continues his research in open quantum systems, the foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum biology. Along with around 150 peer-reviewed research papers, he has written fifteen books, between them translated into over twenty-six languages. His book on Medieval Arabic Science, Pathfinders, was shortlisted for the Warwick Prize latest book, and his 2020 book, The World According to Physics, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Book Prize. He is currently writing a popular science book on the nature of time. As a broadcaster, he is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries, such as Atom, Shock and Awe: the Story of Electricity and the Bafta nominated Chemistry: a volatile history. He is probably best-known in the UK for his long-running BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific. Jim is a past president of both the British Science Association and Humanists UK and is a recipient of the Royal Society Michael Faraday medal and the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar medal, the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal and the Stephen Hawking medal and has received honorary doctorates from nine UK universities. He is a trustee and commissioner on the board of the 1851 Royal Commission and a Fellow of the Science Museums Group. |
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15:15-16:15 |
What is the future of quantum?
Dr Philip BallFreelance writer Dr Philip BallFreelance writer Philip Ball is a freelance writer and broadcaster, and was an editor at Nature for more than twenty years. He writes regularly in the scientific and popular media and has written many books on the interactions of the sciences, the arts, and wider culture, including H2O: A Biography of Water, Bright Earth: The Invention of Colour, The Music Instinct, and How Life Works. His book Critical Mass won the 2005 Aventis Prize for Science Books. Ball was the 2022 recipient of the Royal Society’s Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal for contributions to the history, philosophy or social roles of science. He trained as a chemist at the University of Oxford and as a physicist at the University of Bristol. He lives in London. Roger McKinlayUK Research and Innovation Roger McKinlayUK Research and Innovation Since 2018 Roger McKinlay has been leading the Quantum Technologies Challenge in Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. The QT Challenge funds collaborative projects and has committed over £200m to industry-led projects over the past five years. Roger is a Chartered Engineer and a past president of the Royal Institute of Navigation. He joined UKRI following a career in the defence and aerospace industries. Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Professor Elham KashefiNational Quantum Computing Centre Elham Kashefi is Professor of Quantum Computing at the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Research at CNRS, Sorbonne Universite. She has pioneered a trans-disciplinary research environment, investigating all aspects of quantum computing and communicating from application all the way to actual implementation and industrial exploitation. She is the associate director of the EPSRC Networked Quantum Information Technologies Hub and executive team leader for the Flagship Quantum Internet Alliance in charge of applications development. She is co-Founder of VeriQloud, a quantum startup in security. She has been awarded the UK EPSRC established career fellowship, the US Airforce Cyber Security grant and the French ATOS chair. |