The Africa Quantum Consortium Memo
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Our monthly newsletter consolidates the latest in quantum educational trends, research, and innovation, delivering it straight to your inbox. Efficient and informative, it's your go-to resource for staying ahead in the field. Share it, save it, or skim it—tailor it to your needs.Quotes of the week
“Through this proclamation, we will bring quantum STEM education and research to young people in Africa and developing countries around the world with the hope of inspiring the next generation of scientists, “ Riche-Mike Wellington, Chief Programme Specialist at the Ghana Commission for UNESCO and the Ghanaian representative for IYQ. Source
“Today, the United Nations declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology! 🚀✨ I am extremely proud of this work that has taken a long journey and the collective effort of so many to get here. This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, and Mexican Commission for UNESCO, and numerous others. Your dedication and hard work have made this momentous occasion a reality….” Claudia Fracchiolla, Public Engagement at American Physical Society (APS). Source
1 Big Thing
Next Year Marks 100 Years of Quantum - Africa Stands Ready to Seize the Quantum Opportunity! 🌍✨
In May 2024, Ghana took a leading role on behalf of Africa by formally submitting a draft resolution for the official proclamation of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology to the U.N. General Assembly. This resolution, which garnered co-sponsorship from six other countries, was subsequently approved on June 7, 2024, underscoring Ghana's pivotal contribution to advancing quantum technology on the global stage.
As 2025 marks the centenary of the birth of quantum mechanics, Africa stands at the brink of the second quantum revolution. Quantum science and technology hold the key to developing sustainable solutions in energy, education, communications, and health.
With the U.N. declaration as a catalyst, Africa has a unique opportunity to enhance awareness and innovate, propelling the continent into a sustainable future.
Credit: Quantum2025.org
Let’s dive in!
What: The UN has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. This global initiative aims to raise awareness and accelerate advancements in this crucial and rapidly emerging field. Launching in Paris in early 2025, it presents a vital opportunity for African organizations involved in science, education, policy, and research to collaborate, build a robust foundation of awareness and education, and ensure their contributions reach wide audiences both within and outside the continent.
What's New: In May 2023, Mexico led the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to endorse a resolution, later supported by nearly 60 countries at the full UNESCO General Conference in November 2023, encouraging the official UN proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. This pivotal year presents a crucial opportunity for Africa to actively participate in and strategically position itself to fully benefit from the advancements in quantum information science and technology.
Credit: Quantum2025.org
Why It Matters: This initiative aims to stimulate innovation, address global challenges, and contribute to sustainable development goals. To maximize its impact, African quantum leaders must unite, collaborate, and advocate collectively to maintain Africa's leadership in this field.
The continent is well-positioned to succeed, with organizations like the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the African Union (AU) actively driving research and innovation. Building upon initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area, we must seize this opportunity and continue fostering a unified approach to scientific development across Africa.
The time for fragmented, isolated efforts is past. Let us cultivate a spirit of collaboration, beginning with neighbors working together and extending to cross-disciplinary partnerships across the continent. Only through unity can we unlock the full potential of quantum technologies for the benefit of Africa and the world.
How Africa is Leading: The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is fostering a vibrant research community through its ARISE program. This week, from June 4-6, 2024, they hosted a high-level scientific conference in Tunisia in partnership with the Institut Pasteur de Tunis. The event brought together policymakers, thought leaders, scholars, and ARISE Fellows to showcase advancements, address challenges, and explore opportunities for research and innovation in Africa.
Key details: ARISE is an R&I support program implemented by the AAS, supported by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the European Commission (EC) Carnegie Corporation of New York. The program, launched in December 2020, supports early- to mid-career researchers across Africa, contributing to sustainable development, economic growth, and job creation. They support early-career researchers like Dr. Taha Rouabah (Algeria), whose work focuses on quantum information using cold atoms.
Securing Africa's Quantum Future: Next Steps
The outcomes and lessons from events like the AAS conference will be instrumental in shaping Africa's contributions at the upcoming 9th Science Summit, held alongside the 79th UN General Assembly in September 2024. This platform presents an invaluable opportunity for African perspectives and innovations to influence the future of science education and research.
Let's Begin Now: Contributing to Africa's Quantum Future
Your contributions and expertise are essential in ensuring the continent's active participation and leadership in this transformative field.
Farai Mazhandu is a guest editor for a special themed collection of The Physics Teacher, focusing on teaching quantum mechanics in introductory physics courses. The collection aims to explore innovative approaches, demonstrations, experiments, and insights into making quantum concepts more accessible to students. Submissions are sought by July 1, 2024, across a range of instructional materials suitable for introductory physics classrooms at the secondary and university levels.
Take Action: To contribute to advancing quantum education, submit your manuscript to Peer X-Press by July 1, 2024, under the "special issue paper" category.
Contact Farai Mazhandu (farai@africaquantum.org) for guidance or questions throughout the submission process. Your contribution will help shape the future of quantum education for the next generation of physicists and scientific minds.
Seizing the Opportunity: Education as the Foundation
Education is key to raising awareness and establishing a robust foundation in quantum information science and technology across the continent. Showcasing innovative approaches to teaching quantum mechanics in diverse African educational contexts is crucial. Your insights and experiences in introducing quantum mechanics to students in Africa would be invaluable to this ongoing conversation.
Highlighting these perspectives will not only enrich our collective understanding but also provide a broader audience with insights into the unique challenges and successes of quantum education within different cultural and educational frameworks.
Quantum Leadership in Africa: A Spotlight
Congratulations to Prof. Francesco Petruccione on His Appointment as Substantive Director of NITheCS
Professor Francesco Petruccione, a Professor of Quantum Computing at Stellenbosch University, has been appointed as the permanent Director of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS) starting May 2024. He holds a PhD and "Habilitation" degree from the University of Freiburg and is renowned for his contributions to quantum information processing and communication.
NITheCS, hosted at Stellenbosch University, aims to position South Africa as a global leader in various scientific fields by fostering collaboration across disciplines.
In May 2024, Prof. Petruccione participated in an ICTP symposium in Trieste, Italy, discussing the future of quantum computing alongside experts from various institutions. The session explored the potential of quantum computing to address scientific and societal challenges, as well as its interaction with other emerging technologies.
A recording of the symposium, including Prof. Petruccione's insights, is available here.
Event Highlights
26th Congress of the International Commission for Optics: First Ever in Africa! 🌍
Background:
Optics, with its rich toolbox of components, materials, techniques, and phenomena, is indispensable in advancing quantum technology applications in sensing, computing, and communications. From the generation, manipulation, detection, and measurement of quantum states of light, optics enhances performance, security, and accuracy of quantum devices. It provides the necessary building blocks required to advance quantum technologies. As we push the boundaries of quantum hardware, optics will undoubtedly remain at the forefront, illuminating the path toward practical and scalable devices.
What:
The ICO-26 is the 26th Congress of the International Commission for Optics, hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, from October 21-25, 2024. This is the first time the event is held on African soil.
Why It Matters:
The conference will feature Nobel Laureates and focus on bridging optics research with Africa's developmental needs. This event highlights Africa's growing importance in the scientific community, emphasizing its potential in optics research and innovation.
How It Works:
Participants will engage in discussions, presentations, and collaborations on various optics topics, aiming to leverage these advancements for societal benefits.
What's Next:
Registration closes on August 1, 2024.
Here is the latest: On May 16th, the Stellenbosch Laser Student Chapter of The Stellenbosch Photonic Institute celebrated the International Day of Light with a popular science talk titled "Quantum Possibilities: Shaping the Future of Innovation.”
More events and opportunities
SAIP2024: Shaping South Africa's Future in Physics
SAIP2024, the 68th annual conference of the South African Institute of Physics, will be held at Rhodes University in Grahamstown/Makhanda from July 1st to 5th, 2024. The conference theme, "To the next 100, South Africa's future in physics," aligns with Rhodes University's 120th anniversary and will feature plenary talks, parallel presentations, and poster displays highlighting the latest advancements in physics and its applications.
The 8th African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications, ASP2024
When: July 7-21, 2024
Where: Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
Program Highlights:
- Two-week intensive student engagements: July 7-21, 2024
- One-week training workshop for high school teachers: July 8-12, 2024
- Discussion forum with African policymakers in physics education and research: July 13, 2023
Location: Bd. Prince My Abdellah, B.P. 2390, 40000 Marrakesh
ICTP-EAIFR Seeks Internationally Recognized Leader for Director Position
The ICTP-EAIFR is seeking an internationally recognized leader to serve as Director. Located at the University of Rwanda in Kigali, EAIFR is an ICTP Partner Institute with UNESCO Category 2 status. Established in 2018, EAIFR is a leading research and training institute in theoretical and applied physics in Eastern Africa. The institute boasts full-time research faculty, PhD students, and a 2-year Master's program, and regularly hosts international visiting scientists, workshops, and schools.
Post Title: Director
Organization: East African Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-EAIFR)
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Deadline: June 30, 2024 (Rolling evaluations until the deadline)
Expected Start Date: September 1, 2024 (Flexible)
ICTP-EAIFR Announces Applications Open for Two-Year Master's Degree Program
Disciplines: Condensed Matter Physics, Solid State Physics, High Energy Physics
Structure:
Year 1: Common foundational courses
Year 2: Specialized courses and thesis
Degree Awarded: Master's degree in physics from the University of Rwanda
Application Deadline: June 28, 2024
OQI Call for Submission of Use Case Ideas
The Open Quantum Institute (OQI) invites the global community to submit ideas for quantum computing applications that address global challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). OQI aims to promote inclusive access to quantum computing and rebalance its focus towards impactful applications for the benefit of humanity. Submissions are open until June 15, 2024, and selected projects may receive free credits for testing and implementation on quantum platforms. More details
Explore newly recommended notebook environments for Qiskit | IBM Quantum Computing Blog
IBM has discontinued some projects like Qiskit Application modules and IBM Quantum Lab, favoring partner-developed solutions. They see the future in composable, open quantum computing solutions. Qiskit is now accessible via OVHcloud, qBraid, Google Colab and other notebook solutions, offering cloud-based Jupyter environments with pre-installed Qiskit. To explore Qiskit further, consider the ongoing IBM Quantum Challenge.
Hackathon Bounties still for grabs
unitaryHACK 2024 is still happening with 173 quantum open-source bounties totaling $17985 available. Participants have already earned $3805 from 42 closed bounties. Anyone can still join and work together to claim the remaining bounties until the event ends. Register here
Team Picks: 5 Essential Reads
What You Shouldn’t Know About Quantum Computers
In response to the growing interest and, at times, misinformation surrounding quantum computing, a new book titled "What You SHOULDN'T Know About Quantum Computers" by Chris Ferrie has been released. This resource aims to provide a balanced and accurate perspective on the field, clarifying common misconceptions and offering a realistic assessment of its potential. Give it a try!
Aramco signs agreement with Pasqal to deploy first quantum computer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has signed an agreement with Pasqal, a global leader in neutral atom quantum computing, to install the first quantum computer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The agreement will see Pasqal install, maintain, and operate a 200-qubit quantum computer, which is scheduled for deployment in the second half of 2025.
Singapore to invest about S$300 million in quantum tech research and talent
Singapore is investing S$300 million over five years to boost quantum technology research and talent, including efforts to build quantum computer processors locally. This National Quantum Strategy builds on over S$400 million already invested in the field. The initiative aims to strengthen Singapore's position in the global race to build quantum computers.
The World Economic Forum announces today the 2024 cohort of Technology Pioneers
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced its 2024 cohort of 100 Technology Pioneers, highlighting companies at the forefront of innovation across various industries. This year's selection is dominated by applied AI and cutting-edge technology start-ups, with a strong emphasis on addressing critical global challenges such as climate change, healthcare access, and supply chain resilience. Notably, 11 companies from Africa made the list, showcasing the continent's growing influence in the tech world. These pioneers are not only developing transformative technologies but also working towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
China builds the world’s most powerful ion-based computing machine
Chinese researchers have achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing by successfully trapping and cooling 512 ions in a two-dimensional crystal, a record in the field. This advancement could help scale quantum computing using trapped ion systems.
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