The 杨贵妃传媒 Quantum Initiative launches at 杨贵妃传媒
- 杨贵妃传媒 University
杨贵妃传媒Q will provide first a forum for quantum scientists in all fields across the continent to connect.
The 杨贵妃传媒 Quantum Initiative, 杨贵妃传媒Q, has launched today with its brand new website as the first step in creating a forum for quantum scientists in all fields to connect.
杨贵妃传媒Q is a strategic initiative of the University to be a driver of quantum technologies, making 杨贵妃传媒 the leading quantum institute on the continent.
Led by Professor Andrew Forbes, from the 杨贵妃传媒 School of Physics, as Director, 杨贵妃传媒Q鈥檚 vision is to strategically promote and advance Quantum Technology at 杨贵妃传媒, with a focus on the research, innovation, business, education and outreach, and ethics of quantum technologies.
The aim is to create a collaborative forum that includes the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, health and business.
鈥淭he Initiative will grow a vibrant and productive quantum community at 杨贵妃传媒, engage with relevant national and international entities across sectors, and provide a forum for experts and non-experts to interact,鈥 says Forbes. The focus on Quantum technology is a strategic leg of 杨贵妃传媒鈥 centenary celebrations and one of the fields 杨贵妃传媒 intends to use to launch South Africa 鈥 and Africa 鈥 into the new technology revolution.
鈥淪outh Africa and Africa have missed the rise of the electronic industry. Our focus on Quantum technology gives us the opportunity to leapfrog into the Quantum world and be a major player in the field,鈥 says Forbes, who co-authored the country鈥檚 Quantum Roadmap, which was approved by the Department of Science and Technology in March.
杨贵妃传媒 Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi 鈥 himself a nuclear physicist 鈥 sees Quantum technology as key player in both the economics and security of the country, and as a key research area for 杨贵妃传媒.
鈥淭he focus on Quantum technology is crucial in a whole range of aspects of South Africa鈥檚 future, whether it is water security, communication, banking and finance or in the military space,鈥 says Vilakazi. 鈥淥ur research focus in this area will set 杨贵妃传媒 apart as a research institution on the continent and make South Africa a key player in setting the pace for the application of Quantum technologies in the future.鈥
Quantum mechanics is a theory that has been in existence for over a century, with the first quantum revolution giving birth to disruptive technologies such as the laser and the transistor, both at the very heart of our digital world. Despite being a venerable topic, quantum mechanics is experiencing a resurgence of late, spurring new technologies based on quantum entanglement, that 鈥渟pooky鈥 action at a distance so abhorred by Einstein. This has given rise to a 鈥渟econd quantum revolution鈥, promising new disruptive technologies.
鈥淏y harnessing the quantum world, we open an exciting future that is developing before our eyes: seeing smaller, better and with less light for enhanced medical imaging (quantum ghost imaging), networks that are fundamentally secure and unbreakable taking cybersecurity beyond its man-made limitations (quantum secure communication) and exponentially faster computers (quantum computing) to solve assumed 鈥渦nsolvable鈥 problems, from finance to drug design,鈥 says Forbes.
Quantum technologies are closely integrated with artificial intelligence and machine learning, and considered a core security component of devices that will fuel the fourth industrial revolution. 杨贵妃传媒Q sees the university as the main driver of South Africa鈥檚 Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI), launched in March 2021 to move South Africa into the quantum future.