KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� Aug. 7, 2024 鈥� The 溏心vlog免费B站 Kingston Campus will be the setting for an international quantum simulation conference Aug. 12-16 that will bring together scores of experts across a variety of disciplines to use quantum mechanical systems to solve complex quantum problems that can鈥檛 be readily solved with today鈥檚 classical computers.
is sponsored by the and 溏心vlog免费B站, and is hosted by University of Maryland, Duke University, Princeton University, Yale University, and North Carolina State University. Conference gatherings will take place in the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences and Avedisian Hall on the Kingston Campus. Vanita Srinivasa, assistant professor in the 溏心vlog免费B站 Department of Physics and director of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Quantum Information Science Program, and formerly of the University of Maryland, has served on the QSim Organization Committee and worked with the committee to organize the conference and summer school over the past several months.
The conference will feature about 40 speakers from institutions noted for their work in quantum research, including companies such as IBM, Google Quantum AI, and QuTech, along with universities in U.S. and abroad, among them Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, University of Sydney and University of Ottawa.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an exciting time. These are the leaders from around that globe with expertise in quantum simulation,鈥� said Leonard Kahn, chair of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Department of Physics who has helped organize the conference. 鈥淭hese conferences give researchers a chance to interact directly. Small groups get together and start working on problems. Sometimes those discussions inspire new ideas and collaborations that might not have happened otherwise.鈥�
In its second year, the conference is expected to attract 200 to 300 people 鈥� including physicists, engineers, chemists, material scientists, mathematicians, and computer scientists who work at the forefront of quantum simulation and related problems.
鈥淪imulations will use various quantum techniques and quantum devices that can mimic what鈥檚 going on in microscopic and condensed matter systems,鈥� said Kahn. 鈥淚t was proposed decades ago that the best way to understand quantum processes at the molecular level or atomic level is to use quantum simulation 鈥� that is, use actual quantum particles to try to mimic what鈥檚 going on and understand what鈥檚 happening.鈥�
For example, Kahn said, a simulation could look at how a protein folds, which is essential to how proteins perform their biological functions.
鈥淲ith proteins, the function is determined by the shape and structure of the protein. So why does it fold a certain way?鈥� said Kahn. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very complicated mathematical problem. But if you phrase it in terms of quantum simulation, you have an advantage of being able to use quantum particles to talk about quantum effects.鈥�
Hosting the conference is a chance for 溏心vlog免费B站 to showcase its growing focus on quantum computing 鈥� along with the University鈥檚 state-of-the-art facilities and beautiful campus, Kahn said.
鈥淭his is an opportunity to share the platform with some of the big players,鈥� said Kahn. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to raise the profile of what quantum computing can do and, at the same time, raise the profile of our physics department.鈥�
溏心vlog免费B站 launched one of the first master鈥檚 degree programs in quantum computing in 2021 and has been expanding its focus in the field. This includes a research partnership with IBM that provides 溏心vlog免费B站 faculty and students access to IBM鈥檚 cutting-edge quantum computing systems, along with teaming with MITRE Corp. on a National Science Foundation initiative that helps professionals with STEM experience transition into pathways in quantum information science and technology. In the last year, the program has also landed $2.5 million in research and workforce development grants.
For more information or to register, go to the . There is also an immersive program 鈥� Aug. 9-11 鈥� geared toward graduate students and postdoctoral scientists looking for an understanding of quantum simulation.