In the news

The workshop on 2D Quantum Metamaterials is dedicated to the commonalities between fabrication, theoretical prediction, and alternative approaches to tunable quantum materials, including cold-atom realizations. Theoretical efforts served by this new simulation platform include Hubbard model systems, design of 2D materials, and other exotic materials.

The workshop will be organized around:

1. all-invited talks by leading researchers

2. breakout sessions for discussions and future plan

3. published Workshop Summary Report

Quantum is an open-access peer-reviewed journal for quantum science and related fields. Quantum is launching a pilot outreach project, Quantum Leaps, where scientists write a rigorous and accessible popular science version of a research paper, which are then reviewed by school students, under the supervision of a researcher. The goals of this project are three-fold:

1. Teach the process of peer review to school students by direct experience;

2. Get students interested in the science of quantum computing and information; and

3. Provide a venue for researchers to showcase effective science communication in quantum sciences.

After peer review, the best articles will be published in Quantum Views, and the reviewers will be invited to give a talk about the experience. This project is inspired by Frontiers for Young Minds, which implements the same idea in fields such as biology, psychology and space science. Quantum Leaps is coordinated by Chris Ferrie and Lídia del Rio.

The goal of this two-day workshop is to bring together decision/game theorists and physicists to find a common language in discussing uncertainty. It is organized by the Game Theory Group of the University of Pécs. There will be dominantly invited talks by quantum information scientists and game theorists. Contributed posters are welcome.​

Registration deadline: Friday, December 22, 2017
Submission deadline: Friday, December 1, 2017

The 1st "Secure Quantum Communications (SQC)" School is funded and organised by the European Innovative Training Network "Quantum Communications for All (QCall)". QCALL is a European Innovative Training Network that endeavours to take the next necessary steps to bring the developing quantum technologies closer to the doorsteps of end users. QCALL empowers a nucleus of 15 doctoral researchers in this area to provide secure communications in the European continent and, in the long run, to its connections worldwide. QCALL offers research work packages and training activities in the form of Schools and Workshops. 

Quantum Information Science and Engineering Network (QISE-NET) is housed at the Chicago Quantum Exchange, an intellectual hub and partnership for advancing academic and industrial efforts in the science and engineering of quantum information. QISE-NET is built "Triplets" to Bridge Academia and Industry which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation within the “Quantum Leap” and “Growing Convergent Research” Big Ideas. TRIPLETS program offers excellent opportunities for graduate students in all areas of quantum information science and engineering.

Congratulations to Daniel Lambrecht, professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, the winner of the ACS OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in Computational Chemistry!

The ACS COMP OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award program provides $1,000 to up to four outstanding tenure-track junior faculty members to present their work in COMP poster session at the Spring 2018 New Orleans, LA ACS National Meeting. The Awards are designed to assist new faculty members in gaining visibility within the COMP community. Award certificates and $1,000 prizes will be presented at the COMP Poster session. Applications for Outstanding Junior Faculty Awards are invited from all current tenure-track junior (untenured) faculty who are members of ACS and the ACS Division of Computers in Chemistry.  Selection criteria included the novelty and importance of the work to be presented, CV of the applicant, as well as the level of departmental support as indicated by the applicant's department Chair or Chair designee. 

Congratulations to Chandralekha Singh, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, for being named a 2017 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The AAAS has named two more Pitt researchers as 2017 fellows. Karen M. Arndt, professor in the Department of Biological Science and Astronomy and Rory Cooper, professor and founding director of Pitt’s Human Engineering Research Laboratories. They were among the 396 individuals recognized for accomplishments nationwide. The fellows join a cohort that includes groundbreaking scientists such as inventor Thomas Edison, anthropologist Margaret Mead and biologist James Watson.

Left to right: Karen M. Arndt, Rory Cooper and Chandralekha Singh 

Congratulations to the Science2017 Poster Award Winners!

Jierui Liang (Fullerton group, SSOE Chemical and Petroleum Engineering) won the grand prize award ($1,000 travel award plus an iPad).

Minh Nguyen Vo (Johnson Group, SSOE Chemical and Petroleum Engineering), Olivia Lanes (Hatridge Group, Pitt Physics), Scott Crawford (Millstone Group, Pitt Chemistry), Maxwell Li (Sokalski Group CMU Materials Science and Engineering), Zeeshan Ahmad (Viswanathan Group, CMU Mechanical Engineering) won the poster awards ($1,000 travel award plus Echo Dot).

Megan Kirkendall Briggeman (Levy Lab, Pitt Physics), Amy Carlson (Evanseck Group, Duquesne Chemistry and Biochemistry), David Myers (Snoke Group, Pitt Physics) won the veteran awards (choice of Amazon Echo Spot/Echo or Google Home mini).

PQI undergraduate students Jessica Montone (Levy Lab) and Joe Albro (Levy Lab) presented a poster at the undergraduate session of Science2017.

Also, special thanks to the poster judges for participating in this event. 

November 7-8, 2017, physics students and scientist from diffrent places were arrived at the NASA Langley research center for attending Quantum Computing workshop.

The objective of this workshop was to bring together experts on quantum information science and computation to understand the latest developments and current challenges in algorithms, hardware, and technology transition to engineering applications. The aims of workshop was to accelerate technology transition towards outstanding engineering problems that were expected to be achievable using quantum computations in the coming decade. The workshop’s goals were included developing a roadmap for success towards solution strategies for engineering applications. The interested stakeholders were presented or taken part in discussion on challenges to transition the current state-of-the-art to large scale engineering and data science related problems. 

Discussions were focused on the following four areas:

• Quantum algorithms
• Quantum computing hardware
• Manufacturing and control of quantum systems
• Engineering applications

On October 24, 2017 house committee on science, space, and technology held hearings on “American Leadership in Quantum Technology QT.” The goal of the hearing was to provide audiences the view of United States’ (US) and other nations’ research and development efforts to develop quantum computing and related technologies, and to identify what more can be done to robust these efforts. For this regard, committee members made their opening statements on quantum technology and US leadership in this area.  Witnesses from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), IBM, National Photonic Initiative, and Argon National Lab were emphasized the importance of study and research in quantum information science and technology to sustain the leadership in this area.