UofG researchers team with Canadian colleagues on new quantum project
Published: 28 January 2025
University of Glasgow researchers are teaming up with their Canadian counterparts for a research project supported by new funding.
University of Glasgow researchers are teaming up with their Canadian counterparts for a research project supported by new funding.
Dr Rair Macêdo, of the James Watt School of Engineering, will collaborate with Professor Robert Stamps of the University of Manitoba on a research project called Coherent Optimisation and Magnon Manipulation for Information Transfer, or COMMIT.
The project is one of 10 sharing in £6.5m in funding from the UK-Canada Quantum for Science Research Collaboration which aims to foster quantum’s unique properties to drive innovation and scientific progress.
The grant funding opportunity is run jointly by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the International Science Partnerships Fund, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), as part of the UKRI-NSERC Collaborative Agreement.
The allocation of £4 million from the United Kingdom and $4.2 million from Canada (totalling £6.5 million GBP) in grant funding will support ten innovative and collaborative research projects between university researchers in both countries to advance research in quantum communications and quantum sensing and detection.
Each project has been selected for its potential to support key elements and specific missions of Canada’s National Quantum Strategy and the UK National Quantum Strategy.
COMMIT aims to explore what is sometimes called ‘quantum wierdness’ in certain types of magnetic materials. The team is seeking to take excitations that can be produced in some magnetic materials through interactions with light and develop ways in which they can be deployed into quantum technologies.
The project will test theoretical ideas experimentally and could lead to breakthroughs in technology that might transform communication and computing in the future, helping to support national quantum strategies in the UK and Canada.
This joint funding initiative is part of the ongoing partnership between UKRI and NSERC to promote the excellence in science and innovation, support cutting-edge research and training, and share quantum expertise between UK and Canadian research communities.
Dr Rair Macêdo
DrMacêdo said: “2025 is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, so I’m delighted to be teaming with colleagues at the University of Manitoba on this project.
“The support from UKRI and NSERC will enable us to work closely with our Canadian colleagues. Together, we will develop foundational knowledge to advance efficient, hybrid magnetic-based quantum devices that have the potential to be employed across several branches of quantum technologies from secure communications to precision sensing and advanced computing.”
Both organizations are committed to supporting high-quality research that addresses global challenges and drives economic growth.
Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UKRI, commented: “This partnership is exemplary of the ways in which UK-Canada collaboration continues to support pioneering research and innovation. By combining and sharing our resources and expertise, this funding will enable researchers to use quantum technology to develop innovative solutions that have huge potential across societies and economies globally.”
Professor Alejandro Adem, NSERC President, remarked, “NSERC is proud to support the UK-Canada Quantum for Science Research Collaboration, advancing cutting-edge research in quantum technologies. This initiative highlights the importance of international partnerships in driving scientific innovation and supporting Canada’s National Quantum Strategy.”
First published: 28 January 2025