QTS2021 Speakers and Programme
We are delighted to introduce some of the fantastic speakers we have lined up for QTS2021 (if we do say so ourselves). Below these you will also find the schedule for the live sessions taking place December 6th-8th 2021.
Paul Griffin
Bio:
Paul Griffin is a senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, where he is part of the Experimental Quantum Optics and Photonics group. His team work on atomic quantum technologies with labs focussing on building atomic clocks, quantum magnetometers, investigating new techniques to laser-cool atoms to temperatures as low nanokelvins, billionths of a degree above absolute zero, when quantum effects such as wave-particle duality become accessible.
Paul is originally from Clare in Ireland. The very clear skies there are perfect for star gazing, which is what first got him interested in physics and wondering about photons. He studied physics at the University of Limerick and then Durham University, where he first started research with lasers and atoms. He has worked in the USA at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, and later at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, near Washington DC, with Prof William D Phillips, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. Paul’s hobbies still include astronomy and reading popular science books.
Title:
An Introduction to Quantum Technologies
Abstract:
Quantum physics has been incredibly successful in describing the world around us and it remains a fascinating subject of research. This introductory talk will look at the origins of quantum mechanics and how ideas such as superpositions, entanglement, and wave-particle duality came about due to many desperate scientists thinking about a strange problem with the colour of hot objects. We will then discuss how progress in the different fields of physics, engineering, computing, and mathematics has led in the last decade to a new research field know as Quantum Technologies, building devices which directly exploit quantum effects to provide new capabilities that can’t be achieved by existing technology. Examples of quantum technologies are quantum imagers that can see through dense clouds, secure quantum communications that cannot be hacked, and quantum clocks that are accurate to better than once second in the age of the universe. We’ll also see how Scottish universities and companies are the very front of the global race to build quantum technologies and to create new jobs that need people trained with quantum skills.
Adetunmise Dada
Bio:
Adetunmise Dada is a Research Fellow in the Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. His past roles include Senior Research Associate within the Quantum Engineering Technology Labs (2016-2019) at the University of Bristol, and Research Associate in the Quantum Photonics Laboratory at Heriot-Watt University (2013 - 2016).
His background (PhD) is in experimental quantum optics, quantum signal detection, and high-dimensional quantum information. He has over 7 years of postdoctoral research experience in experimental quantum photonics engineering using quantum-dot-based on-demand single-photon sources as well as parametric sources of photon pairs.
Title:
Quantum Key Distribution: Exploiting the weirdness of the quantum world
Abstract:
Quantum physics describes a physical universe that can be very different from what is consistent with our everyday experiences and intuition. Are these counterintuitive phenomena mere fascinations, or can they be somewhat harnessed to create disruptive new technology? In this talk, I will introduce and illustrate some of the basic concepts of quantum physics and conventional (or ‘classical’) cryptography. I will then highlight a loophole in classical cryptography and how quantum physics comes to the rescue!
Peter Sneddon
Bio:
Peter Sneddon is a Senior Lecturer in Learning, Teaching and Scholarship in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. As an academic his focus is on skills development and student experiences of learning in Higher Education. Together with Sarah Croke, he created the Quantum Technology School as a means to both introduce school pupils to this exciting new field of physics, but also as a way to let them a chance to sample what Higher Education is like.
Title:
Thinking Like a Physicist
Abstract:
In the presentation “Thinking Like a Physicist”, we will explore how physicists approach complicated scenarios and calculations, finding ways to relate the seemingly unanswerable to the everyday knowledge that comes easily to hand.
Sarah Croke
Bio:
Sarah Croke is a senior lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow, where she is part of the Quantum Theory group, as well as the Astronomy and Physics Education group. She is a theoretical physicist, working on measurements and algorithms harnessing the power of quantum mechanics. She completed her PhD at the University of Strathclyde, and held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada before returning to Glasgow as a lecturer.
Sarah co-created the Quantum Technology School with Peter Sneddon to showcase this exciting and quickly developing field to young people and teachers, and give young people an introduction to Higher Education.
Title:
Quantum Puzzles
Abstract:
In this presentation I will introduce some quantum puzzles to get you scratching your heads, and explain how these are relevant to quantum technologies. Finally we'll discuss recent quantum experiments that performed calculations that would take the world's most powerful supercomputers years to compute!
Programme of live sessions
On the evenings of December 6th, 7th, and 8th, we will host live sessions via zoom. The zoom links will be distributed to registered schools via email. To sign up, contact us at phas-qtschool@glasgow.ac.uk. The planned schedule of talks and panel discussions is below.
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MONDAY 6TH DECEMBER 2021 1900-2030 |
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1900 |
WELCOME |
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1905 |
PRESENTATION: QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION: EXPLOITING THE WEIRDNESS OF THE QUANTUM WORLD Dr Adetunmise Dada, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow |
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1930 |
BREAK |
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1935 |
PANEL: CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS Panel of undergraduate students currently studying in the Schools of Physics and Astronomy and/or Computing Science. |
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2030 |
END |
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TUESDAY 7TH DECEMBER 2021 1900-2030 |
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1900 |
WELCOME |
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1905 |
PRESENTATION: Thinking like a physicist Dr Peter H. Sneddon, School of Physics & Astronomy |
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1930 |
BREAK |
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1935 |
PANEL: UNIVERSITY GRADUATES Chair: Dr Fiona Speirits, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Glasgow Panellists: Rebecca Cummings, PhD Student, School of Physics & Astronomy Dr Rebecca Douglas, Patent Attorney Dr Douglas Murray, Actuary Anette Messinger, Quantum Software Engineer |
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2030 |
END |
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WEDNESDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2020 1900-2000 |
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1900 |
WELCOME |
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1905 |
PRESENTATION: Quantum Puzzles Dr Sarah Croke, School of Physics & Astronomy |
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1950 |
Feedback |
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2000 |
END |