The QSE Center engages in international science diplomacy

A partnership to apply quantum to sustainable development goals

Since the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) first proposed the Open Quantum Institute, which aims to facilitate the development of quantum use cases for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensure inclusive and equitable global access to quantum computing, the QSE Center has been in an important partnership with GESDA. Therefore, it was natural for the QSE Center’s Executive Director Dr Philippe Caroff to take part in GESDA’s Science Diplomacy Week in Geneva from May 8-12. This immersive week-long program brought together 30 selected participants from government, NGOs, academia, and industry from 25 countries.

Using the GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar, the group was given an entry point into the rapidly evolving practice and research of science diplomacy, along with a platform to learn and discuss the adaptation of diplomacy, multilateral governance, academia and business in the face of the coming decades of systemic change. Through a variety of activities, talks, role-playing scenarios, and field visits, program participants were able to understand the growing importance of anticipatory science diplomacy, learn about significant scientific breakthroughs, create strategies with science and policy leaders from around the world, and learn to apply cutting-edge anticipation methodologies and practicies to improve conflict resolution and global governance.

Along with the vital learning experiences that Dr Caroff was able to bring back to the QSE Center and EPFL, the program also provided him with a valuable network of experts around the world with whom the Center can form future partnerships and collaborations.

“The experience was incredible and important, as we see the need to work with diplomatic and policy leaders and learn the language of diplomacy in order to communicate clearly about quantum,” says Dr Caroff.

“As one of Switzerland’s four Quantum Centers and a supporter of the GESDA Open Quantum Institute, it is our role, along with policymakers and UN bodies, to gear quantum toward the benefit of humankind and also anticipate negative societal impacts. Fortunately, we still have time to anticipate these impacts and work together to focus on using quantum to achieve sustainable development goals in a global, multilateral world.”

Recognizing the potential quantum technologies have for helping reach the UN Sustainability Goals (SDGs), the GESDA Open Quantum Institute also helped facilitate the NYUAD Quantum Hackathon in Abu Dhabi from April 27 – May 1. As an academic partner, the QSE Center sponsored EPFL Master’s student Alessandro Sinibaldi to attend the event. Sinibaldi and his team worked on using quantum computing for quick diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease, for which they won the audience prize.

Adding to the QSE Center’s focus on the SDGs, Academic Director Prof. Vincenzo Savona also served as an expert in a high-level political forum session on ‘Making the most of quantum computers, inclusively and openly to reach the sustainable development goals (SDGs)’ at the World Summit Information Society Forum (WSIS) on March 16. The session was organized by GESDA and the speakers, including diplomats, a representative of IBM Research Europe, and the head of the SDG Lab at the UN, shared their views on the possibilities offered by quantum technology and the digital divide.

"As we strive towards achieving the SDGs, it is important to leverage the potential of quantum computers inclusively and openly,” says Savona. “The creation of an Open Quantum Institute, proposed by GESDA, can act as a bridge between quantum technology providers, R&D, and the UN2030 Agenda, thus facilitating progress towards a more sustainable future. EPFL and the QSE Center will be key players in this process."

Continuing on the success of this event, Savona will soon collaborate on designing a use case of quantum for food security, the second SDG, with the FAO, GESDA, GAIN and locally wth the EPFL Integrative Food and Nutrition Center and EssentialTech.

Responsible quantum technologies

As part of the QSE Center's mission to ensure quantum technologies are used responsibly, the Center will be hosting the Swiss Quantum Industry Days 2023 at EPFL in October. The event gathers key stakeholders from the worlds of academia and industrial R&D to foster an exchange of ideas and accelerate the development of new quantum products. In preparation for this event, ID Quantique hosted the webinar "Responsible Quantum Technologies in Switzerland" on May 22, which invited leaders in the field of quantum, including Dr Caroff, to discuss the question of how we can ensure that these opportunities are harnessed and directed in ways that are useful and beneficial for society at large.

In contrast to other technologies, such as AI, that are already having unintended consequences, quantum is still in its early stages, there is the opportunity now to be proactive and think about ways in which to make sure quantum technologies are developed and deployed responsibly. Dr. Mira Wolf-Bauwens (IBM Research Europe), Bruno Huttner (ID Quantique), Bruno Küng (Zurich Instruments), Jacques HAESLER (CSEM), and Philipp Kammerlander (Quantum Center at ETH Zurich) also participated in the webinar.

“There are wonders and interesting, fantastic things to do in quantum at all levels," said Dr Caroff at the webinar. "One doesn’t need a master’s or PhD in quantum physics or quantum algorithims to get involved…And I think people should get involved, because it’s not going anywhere. Quantum technologies will happen, some of them faster than others, but it is indeed the right time to get involved, to learn, and to make an informed opinion about how it should or should not be regulated."

International quantum collaborations

Along with working with GESDA on quantum science policy, the QSE Center has also been engaging with international governments on a variety of important topics in quantum. From March 13-15, Dr Caroff represented the Center at the Inside Quantum Technology event in The Hague, a leading event for quantum communication and quantum security in Europe focused on industry. The event included informal discussions with key executives from the Dutch national initiative Quantum Delta and a visit to the newly built House of Quantum in Delft. Both the conference and visit provided important insights into the fields of quantum communication and quantum security, which are reaching a level of maturity with quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography solutions.

On March 10, H.E. Ambassador Scott Miller from the United States Embassy in Bern came to EPFL for a roundtable, with a deep dive into quantum and space domains. After a meeting with EPFL President Martin Vetterli and a discussion about space with Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib, Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral kicked off the quantum portion of the roundtable with an overview of the Swiss quantum landscape. Prof. Savona and Dr Caroff then presented the mission and activities of the QSE Center to Ambassador Miller. Additional discussions included the possibility of increased collaboration and funding opportunities between the US and Switzerland and the interest to broaden access to quantum technologies to a wider public, including vocational training.

And on March 7, the QSE Center welcomed a delegation of British quantum researchers to EPFL. The visit was part of the UK Embassy in Bern’s ‘Switzerland Quantum Computing Roadshow’ and involved visits to several Swiss institutions that are active in the field of quantum science and technology. The British researchers began their visit at the Bernoulli Center, where they were given an introduction to the QSE Center’s goals and missions by Prof. Savona and Dr Caroff. After lunch where they met with EPFL’s quantum scientists, they visited the labs of Profs. Tobias Kippenberg, Pasquale Scarlino, and Jean-Philippe Brantut to see EPFL’s top-tier quantum research first-hand.

“These international visits provide an excellent chance for quantum researchers in Switzerland to meet and form professional relationships with quantum scientists from different countries, and will no doubt lead to promising opportunities in the future,” says Dr Caroff.