Science to Society: Dr. Sebastian Weidt - CEO Universal Quantum

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Join this event if you are interested in hearing how a quantum physics researcher made the transition from lab-based researcher to quantum computing CEO (while continuing their academic work!). He will talk about his research, and why he thought the best way to develop it was by working with the private sector.

The Speaker:

Sebastian holds a PhD in quantum physics and prior to moving to academia has worked in industry as a management consultant focusing on the integration of renewable energy technologies into the business model of SMEs and multinationals. He is currently a lecturer in Quantum Technologies at the University of Sussex in the UK working on trapped ion based quantum computers, quantum simulators and quantum sensors.

The Topic:

Computers have transformed the way we live however there are a vast amount of problems even the most powerful computer would take a million years to solve. A quantum computer, a completely new type of computer built using quantum technology, may hold the key to change this completely and impact society on a profound level. So, can we actually build a quantum computer which can solve some of the most computationally challenging problems? Dr Sebastian Weidt is working on making this a reality.

His recent work around quantum computing led to the development of a new approach to quantum computing which drastically simplifies the construction of a high-impact quantum computer. Building on this advance, his work also involved the development of the first blueprint for constructing a large- scale trapped-ion quantum computer.

With these critical developments as a foundation Sebastian has co-founded and is the CEO of Universal Quantum, a venture capital backed start-up which aims to construct high-impact quantum computers. His work around quantum sensing focuses on developing a portable trapped ion RF quantum sensor capable of detecting RF and microwave radiation with unprecedented sensitivity.

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