With an invitation to be part of the future, CEDENNA celebrated World Quantum Day, the field of Physics whose main objects of study are elements at the microscopic level, such as atoms, electrons and molecules. The Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA) joined the USACH Faculty of Science to celebrate this date together with the QuSantiago Team and bring to life the Seminar QuSantiago Day (April 13 and 14), where leading researchers addressed topics such as quantum machine learning, the light revolution and quantum batteries.
World Quantum Day is an initiative of scientists who organize and hold outreach events on this discipline in more than 65 countries every April 14. The date was chosen in reference to the first rounded digits of Planck’s constant (4.14), which governs quantum physics.
The event took place at the Auditorium of the Eduardo Morales Santos Research Building of Universidad de Santiago, with talks by Drs. Juan Carlos Retamal (USACH), Carla Hermann (UCh), Guillermo Romero (USACH), Felipe Barra (UCh), Ariel Norambuena (UMayor) and Jerónimo Maze (PUC).
INVITATION TO SUBMIT PROJECTS
The event was opened by IBM Quantum Ambassador for the Americas, Juan Pablo Soto, with an attractive invitation to STEM students. The executive, whose job is to support business transformation through disruptive and automation technologies across the continent, stressed that “we are at the starting point of this industry. Quantum computing is in its infancy and is already beginning to be harnessed around the world.”
In this scenario, he said, “Chile can be a development hub if physics, mathematics, computing or engineering students step forward and present business projects to the large companies leading the market. My purpose in being here is precisely to invite you to bring your proposals. They are waiting for them in Chile and all over the world.”
“In all faculties and research centers there are many people devoting their efforts to spreading among the younger generations quantum mechanics and the important progress generated through this recently developed physics, which is raising great expectations for future development and, therefore, many opportunities for young people,” said Dr. Juan Carlos Retamal, professor at the USACH Faculty of Science and co-organizer of the event.
Francisco Albarrán, coordinator of the QuSantiago Team, explained the uses of this new technology, stressing that “quantum computers open the door to the exponential acceleration of computing processes. Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems ranging from the search for drugs that can target very specific types of cancer to assessing the risk of bank investment portfolios.”
However, he warned that this type of computer is still very far from reaching ordinary users. “Even the most optimistic say we will probably not see it this century. However, they are already being used by certain companies such as Google and IBM for proof of principle in things as varied as cybersecurity or the development of new materials.
According to the speakers, quantum (and specifically quantum computing) is a new paradigm for processing data and understanding the world that in Chile can solve challenges that would otherwise be impossible to face. “And we are here at USACH precisely to invite students to do so,” stressed Juan Pablo Soto, speaking on behalf of IBM. “This invitation is for engineering, mathematics, physics and programming students… because this is a new way of thinking that requires interdisciplinarity and the talents we are developing in universities.”
As for the prospects this implies for our country, the organizers of QuSantiago Day say Chile already has professionals capable of generating knowledge and proposing quantum computing solutions to solve the problems faced by market-leading industries, thus positioning Chile once again as a provider of talent to solve these issues. “That is the opportunity we have in our hands, and we have to push our professionals to train in this area,” they stressed.
