A three-part, weekly “Quantum Advantage” speaker series hosted by the UTC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship starts April 17, with Dr. Joe Lukens, formerly with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and currently head of quantum networking at Arizona State University
To kick off local focus on World Quantum Day 2024 (April 14), the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hosts the first of a three-part, weekly “Quantum Advantage” speaker series this Wednesday. All three speaking engagements take place in the UTC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the James R. Mapp Building on campus.
The first speaker, at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, is Dr. Joe Lukens, formerly with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and currently head of quantum networking at Arizona State University (ASU). Dr. Lukens’ talk is free and open to the public, and ample free parking is available at the Mapp Building. For those unable to attend in person, the presentation can be watched online via livestream here.
In his talk, “Quantum Advantage: Networking,” Dr. Lukens will be discussing principles of quantum mechanics, including entanglement, network demonstrations and future applications, with an audience based in a region that is home to the recently launched Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative, multiple collaborations involving ORNL, EPB, Qubitekk and UTC; and federal funding support for several quantum projects.
After earning a doctorate in electrical engineering from Purdue University, Dr. Lukens served as a Wigner fellow and research scientist in quantum information science at ORNL. He is now senior director of quantum networking and research professor at ASU, with a joint faculty appointment at ORNL.
The second speaker in the series, on Wednesday, April 24, is Tim Rogers, quantum solutions engineer with quantum computing manufacturer IonQ. Mr. Rogers has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from Texas A&M University and more than 13 years’ experience with Duke Energy Corporation prior to joining IonQ. In his talk, “Quantum Advantage: Computing,” Mr. Rogers will give an overview of IonQ’s technology and its transformational potential for various industries. His presentation is at noon in the UTC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and includes a free lunch. Participants are asked to RSVP here. The livestream presentation can be watched here.
On Wednesday, May 1, the third speaker in the series is Dr. Phil Lotshaw, ORNL research scientist focused on solving optimization problems with quantum computers. His talk, “Quantum Advantage: Optimization,” will explore new solutions offered by quantum technology to complex optimization challenges across various domains. Dr. Lotshaw has a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Oregon and has been with ORNL since 2020. The livestream presentation can be watched here.
The UTC Speaker Series of events launching in commemoration of World Quantum Day is followed by video presentations and downloadable interactive activities intended for a range of age groups and interest levels.
See the entire list of quantum learning events and opportunities and make plans to engage here.