SHEFFIELD QUANTUM CENTRE

 UKRI Quantum Missions: SQC secured three projects on Quantum Computing and Quantum Networks

UK Research and Innovation has announced the winners of the recent £9.5 million call for industry-led pilot projects for developing quantum computing and quantum networking. It is great to see that 3 out of 10 funded projects have SQC members and affiliates on board! 

First, congratulations to Dr Imad Faruque and Prof Luke Wilson for the PAQNet project being supported. Led by Alter Tech, it aims to advance packaging of quantum dot-based sources of entangled photon for networking applications.

Second, the project led by the Sheffield-based photonic company Aegiq has been awarded, with Prof  Jon Heffernan being part of the team. They will be developing a hybrid testbed for quantum computing that bridges deterministic light sources and silicon photonics.

Finally, QUDITS2 project on qudit-based quantum communication is supported by the Sheffield-based Phlux Technology and Prof Chee Hing Tan (School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering).

More details can be found at UKRI news webpage here. 

 LightFest: Illuminate Your Mind at Sheffield's Millennium Gallery (13 Mar 2025)

The School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Sheffield is organising the LightFest — a free, family-friendly festival exploring the wonders of light. It will be held at Sheffield's Millennium Gallery from Thursday, March 13th to Sunday, March 16th, during British Science Week. SQC members will be there to showcase capabilities of photonics, happy to connect with everyone who can come!

Join us for an immersive journey into the science of light, where you can discover its fundamental properties and its potential to address global sustainability challenges. LightFest showcases cutting-edge research from our university, focusing on how we can harness light for applications in solar energy, healthcare, and more.

LightFest Highlights include expositions on "The Wonder of Light" (mysteries of light like wave-particle duality), "Plasmonics: The Magic of Tiny Metals", "Photosynthesis: Unleashing the Power of the Sun", and "Polaritons: Where Light and Matter Dance" (the unique world of polaritons and their potential for revolutionary technologies).

For the details of the programme please visit the LightFest webpage here. 

Town Hall event at the Centre for Machine intelligence (12 Mar 2025), Sheffield

Our friends at CMI are hosting a town hall event, offering an excellent opportunity to learn about most recent developments in the are of artificial intelligence. This town hall event will bring together researchers working on machine learning and related subjects to shape the future of AI at Sheffield. Discussions will focus on key research themes, collaborative opportunities, and the centre’s role in addressing real-world challenges.

The event will include presentations on current research directions, interactive discussions, and opportunities for networking. Attendees will have the chance to contribute ideas and help define the vision for the CMI.

The event will include a networking lunch and introductions to CMI team members. Please see details here.