Selected Mondays at 14:15-16:00
iNANO Auditorium (1593-012)
45-minute talk followed by refreshments
Klaus Mølmer will offer a brief, non-technical introduction to the quantum mechanical revolution a century ago and explain why the physics community was and always will be divided over the interpretation of its two unique features: the superposition principle and the measurement postulate. We experience now a second quantum revolution with dreams of technologies that apply exactly these foundational elements and strange properties of quantum mechanics. He will illustrate this with examples from his own research on quantum measurements and sensors that attain quantum advantages in physical measurements. Quantum computing, communication and sensing are wonderful goals for research: they challenge our imagination, they ask completely new questions from theory and they deepen our understanding in many ways. But, Klaus find it scaring to hear decision makers forecast and build policies on near term threats and benefits with little or no support in actual achievements. Hence, he will conclude with my "stuck-in-the-elevator talk" to decision makers on the challenges, the limitations, the easy counter measures to threats and the, ignored and sometimes stronger, non-quantum alternatives.
Professor Klaus Mølmer has conducted groundbreaking research in quantum physics and quantum technology. His work spans the development of theoretical models for quantum systems and their application in technologies such as quantum computing and quantum communication. His research has been crucial in advancing the understanding of light-matter interactions and quantum information processing.
Description of talk: To be announced
Professor Ivan Damgård is a leading researcher in cryptography and computer security. His work has had a profound impact on the development of secure communication protocols and cryptographic systems. He is best known for his contributions to multiparty computation, cryptographic hashing, and zero-knowledge proofs, which have become foundational tools in modern cryptography. His research continues to shape the future of secure data sharing and privacy-preserving technologies, with applications in both the public and private sectors.
The usefulness of quantum computing is often considered well-understood from a theoretical point of view. Textbooks will tell you a lot about certain tasks that a quantum computer may be better at than its classical counterpart. Finding a good 'use case for a quantum computer is, however, not that simple. In this talk, I will give some examples of 'classical' quantum algorithms, and discuss the current status of their usefulness. I will then try to convey my take on promising near- and long-term use cases, and give some examples of recent work in both theoretical and practical quantum computing.
Professor Nikolaj Zinner is a prominent researcher in quantum technology and theoretical physics. His work focuses on quantum many-body systems, quantum simulations, and quantum computing. As a co-founder of the quantum startup Kvantify, he is actively involved in translating cutting-edge quantum research into real-world applications. His research contributes to the development of quantum algorithms and quantum simulations, with potential transformative impacts on industries such as drug discovery, logistics, and material science."
