Delegates from The Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia toured the Quantum Nanoelectronics Lab in Campbell Hall.
Berkeley Physics is pleased to announce that UC Berkeley and TU Dortmund University of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) have signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks a pivotal step in advancing quantum research and fosters international collaboration.
In a visit hosted by the Department, delegates from NRW met with College of Letters and Science Dean Steve Kahn for talks in Physics North followed by a tour of the Quantum Nanoelectronics Lab in Campbell Hall. The tour was led by Research Scientist Kasra Nowrouzi, a key member of the lab which is headed up by Principle Investigator Irfan Siddiqi. The tour was followed by a visit to the campanile before the official MoU signing in California Hall.
For UC Berkeley, North Rhine-Westphalia, with its dense network of universities, and global companies, provides an ideal partnership for pioneering future technologies. The EIN Quantum NRW competence center plays a crucial role in facilitating close cooperation among science, business, and politics. UC Berkeley's collaboration with NRW aims at harnessing the potential of quantum computing, making it practically applicable and paving the way for secure quantum communication.
Prof. Steven Kahn, Dean of Mathematical & Physical Sciences at UC Berkeley, remarked, "Deep collaboration between institutions is essential to realize the promise of quantum utility in scientific and technological applications. The MoU is an exciting step towards building these links, and we look forward to working with EIN Quantum NRW to identify areas where we can jointly make the greatest impact."
The MoU is signed by Science Minister Ina Brandes and TU Dortmund's President, Professor Manfred Bayer on July 11, 2024
UC Berkeley Science Minister Ina Brandes signed the MoU in the presence of TU Dortmund’s President, Prof. Dr. Manfred Bayer, who is acting as the spokesperson for EIN Quantum NRW. The non-binding MoU outlines potential collaboration in research projects, organization of joint conferences, workshops, and seminars, and explores reciprocal guest stays for professors, postdocs, and Ph.D students.
Brandes highlighted the strategic significance: "Computing power will be key to addressing major challenges such as fighting widespread diseases, intelligent mobility, and energy conservation. Quantum computing 'made in NRW is among the world's best, as demonstrated by the partnership with the renowned UC Berkeley. This collaboration will benefit scientists in North Rhine-Westphalia and California alike."
The cutting-edge research on materials, algorithms, control, and applications of quantum computing at UC Berkeley offers numerous opportunities for scientific cooperation with universities and research institutions in NRW. NRW is unique in Germany for encompassing the four main technological approaches to quantum computing: superconducting circuits, ion traps, semiconductor-based methods, and photons. Renowned centers like the Research Center Jülich (FZJ) and the Cluster of Excellence "Matter and Light for Quantum Computing" lead these efforts.
NRW delegates with Dr. Kasra Nowrouzi (front left) of the Quantum Nanoelectronics Lab