Tel Aviv University on Monday launched its new Center for Quantum Science and Technology during the research workshop ‘From Quantum Computing to Quantum Chemistry.’
“The quantum revolution is knocking on our door, and many people expect it to be just as great and significant as the industrial and digital revolutions, completely transforming our technology and way of life,” TAU Rector Prof. Yaron Oz said during the inauguration.
Oz explained that “Quantum theory, first developed more than a century ago, deals with phenomena at the level of tiny particles such as electrons and photons (particles of light). Many quantum phenomena contradict human intuition and our experience in day to day reality.
“Leading TAU scientists, like Prof. Yakir Aharonov, have contributed significantly to our understanding of these phenomena. Applied quantum research is a relatively new field that is rapidly gaining momentum both in Israel and worldwide, and this is the right time to put considerable effort into it.”
20 Research labs from different disciplines
The new Center for Quantum Science and Technology is expected to bring together about 20 research labs from different Faculties that study various aspects of this field, Oz said.
The Center will combine three main activities: Study programs in relevant tracks such as quantum computing and quantum communication, designed to attract the best young minds to this innovative field, research activities based on the multidisciplinary nature of TAU, enabling quantum collaborations between researchers from many different disciplines: computing, materials, sensors, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and later also economics, business and more; and international ties with research centers and business corporations – including corporate giants (like Google, IBM and Microsoft) who are developing quantum technologies, alongside potential consumers (like the financial sector), who must prepare for the advent of quantum computing.
The Center will also recruit new faculty members, organize conferences and workshops, and offer scholarships and fellowships for students.