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Institute for Quantum Computing

Coordinates: 43°28′44″N 80°33′17″W / 43.478865°N 80.554853°W / 43.478865; -80.554853
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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Conradshakesman (talk | contribs) at 16:15, 24 February 2021 (Cut down on the research breakthroughs, which are self-promotional and almost all link to IQC's website.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC)
IQC logo
TypeResearch institute
DirectorJohn Watrous
Location
Waterloo
,
Ontario
,
Canada

43°28′44″N 80°33′17″W / 43.478865°N 80.554853°W / 43.478865; -80.554853
AffiliationUniversity of Waterloo
Websiteuwaterloo.ca/iqc
Map

The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) is an affiliate scientific research institute of the University of Waterloo located in Waterloo, Ontario with a multidisciplinary approach to the field of quantum information processing. IQC was founded in 2002[1] primarily through a donation made by Mike Lazaridis and his wife Ophelia whose substantial donations have continued over the years.[2] The institute is now located in the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre and the Research Advancement Centre at the University of Waterloo.

It is led by computer scientist John Watrous with researchers based in 6 departments across 3 faculties at the University of Waterloo. In addition to theoretical and experimental research on quantum computing, IQC also hosts academic conferences and workshops, short courses for undergraduate and high school students, and scientific outreach events including open houses and tours for the public.

History

The Institute for Quantum Computing was officially created in 2002, sparked by Research In Motion co-founder Mike Lazaridis and then-president of the University of Waterloo, David Johnston, for research into quantum information. Since inception, Lazaridis has provided more than $100 million in private funding for IQC. The institute is a collaboration between academia, the private sector, and the federal and provincial governments. Raymond Laflamme is the founding executive director.[3]

At its establishment, the institute was composed of only a handful of researchers from the Departments of Computer Science and Physics. Ten years later, there are more than 200 researchers across six departments within the Faculties of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

In 2008, IQC moved into the Research Advancement Centre 1 (RAC I) in the University of Waterloo's Research & Technology Park. In 2010, research operations expanded into the adjacent building, Research Advancement Centre 2 (RAC II).

In 2012, IQC expanded into the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre. The 285,000-square-foot facility is shared with the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, and is built to stringent standards (controls for vibration, humidity, temperature, and electromagnetic radiation) for quantum and nanotechnology experiments. The building was designed by Toronto-based firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB).[4]

Research

Research at IQC focuses on three main applications of quantum information science and technology using the physical sciences, mathematics and engineering from both theoretical and experimental perspectives.[5]

Areas of research currently studied at IQC include:

In collaboration with the University of Waterloo, IQC offers research positions and advanced courses in the foundations, applications, and implementation of quantum information processing for graduate students. In addition, IQC also offers an interdisciplinary graduate program in Quantum Information which leads to MMath, MSc, MASc, and PhD degrees.[6]

Scientific outreach

IQC's scientific outreach activities include annual workshops, short courses, public lectures, tours, open houses and science centre and museum exhibits. IQC shares many of these special events, including lectures and special interviews, with the online public through its YouTube channel, Instagram feed, and Twitter feed.

Science centre and museum exhibits

QUANTUM: The Exhibition

QUANTUM: The Exhibition is the first-ever traveling show on quantum information science and technology. Throughout 2017, visitors to science centres and museums across the country can explore how researchers are merging quantum mechanics and information technology to create the technologies that will revolutionize and redefine the 21st century—and how many Canadian researchers are leading the way. This exhibition was selected as part of the Signature Initiative of the Government of Canada's sesquicentennial celebration, INNOVATION150, which celebrates 150 years of Canadian innovation.

The Exhibition began its cross-Canada tour with an invitation-only premiere on October 13, 2016 at THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, and will continue on to at least five other cities on its journey including Vancouver, Saskatoon, Calgary, Halifax and Ottawa.[7]

LIGHT Illuminated

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly named 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015). In order to celebrate and educate the public on the physics of light, a group of graduate students from the University of Waterloo Student Chapter of the Optical Society (OSA) created LIGHT Illuminated, an exhibition featured at THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, from October 2015 to March 2016. PhD students from the Institute for Quantum Computing along with a Master’s student from the University of Waterloo Department of Physics and Astronomy created and curated the exhibition. Over 40,000 visitors passed through THEMUSEUM during the exhibit’s display.[8]

Conferences and workshops

IQC has played host to many notable conferences and workshops including:

Public lectures

IQC has presented public lectures by notable researchers including David Cory, Joseph Emerson, Raymond Laflamme, Michele Mosca and Bill Unruh.[18]

USEQIP

The Undergraduate School on Experimental Quantum Information Processing (USEQIP) is an annual two-week program held in May and June designed for undergraduate students completing the third year of their undergraduate education. The program aims to introduce 20 students to the field of quantum information processing through lectures on quantum information theory and experimental approaches to quantum devices, followed by hands-on exploration using the experimental facilities of IQC.[19]

QCSYS

The Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students (QCSYS) is an annual one-week summer program for 40 high school students aged 15 and older. The program is run by IQC in conjunction with the University of Waterloo. The selected students attend specialized lectures on quantum physics and cryptography, visit local research institutes, meet renowned researchers in these fields, and take a tour of quantum computing and quantum cryptography experiments.[20]

Facilities

IQC currently has offices and laboratories in both Research Advancement Centre I and II, located in the University of Waterloo’s David Johnston Research & Technology Park.

On 9 June 2008, Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis, together with Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, University of Waterloo President David Johnston, and other guests officially broke ground on the project which will consist of three areas: one to house IQC, one for the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, and a clean fabrication and metrology suite to be shared between the two institutes.[21] It will house offices, laboratory space, and areas for collaboration among researchers. The QNC opened September 21, 2012.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ "What Great Philanthropy Can Do". Institute for Quantum Computing. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  2. ^ no by-line.--> (2015). "Quick facts About the Institute". University of Waterloo. University of Waterloo. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  3. ^ "About the Institute". Institute for Quantum Computing. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  4. ^ "University of Waterloo Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum Nano Centre". Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  5. ^ "Faculty & Research". Institute for Quantum Computing. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  6. ^ "Graduate Studies". Institute for Quantum Computing. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  7. ^ "QUANTUM: The Exhibition". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  8. ^ "LIGHT Illuminated". November 17, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "Inaugural Women in Physics Canada Conference" (PDF). The Canadian Association of Physicists. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  10. ^ "Relativistic Quantum Information North Conference". June 11, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  11. ^ "NanoMRI Conference". July 18, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  12. ^ "Conference on Post-Quantum Cryptography". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  13. ^ "Post-Quantum Cryptography Summer School". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  14. ^ "CAM Conference". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  15. ^ "QCRYPT Conference". November 14, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  16. ^ "Quantum Innovators Workshop". March 11, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  17. ^ "Relativistic Quantum Information North Conference". June 11, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  18. ^ "Public Lectures". Institute for Quantum Computing. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  19. ^ "Undergraduate School on Experimental Quantum Information Processing 2012". Institute for Quantum Computing. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  20. ^ "Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students 2012". Institute for Quantum Computing. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  21. ^ "Groundbreaking for the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre". Institute for Quantum Computing. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  22. ^ "Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre Grand Opening". University of Waterloo. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
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