The New Quantum Era Sebastian Hassinger & Kevin Rowney

Welcome to another episode of The New Quantum Era! Today, we have a fascinating conversation with Professor Jens Eisert, a veteran in the field of quantum information science. Jens takes us through his journey from his PhD days, delving into the role of entanglement in quantum computing and communication, to leading a team that bridges theoretical and practical aspects of quantum technology. In this episode, we explore the fine line between classical and quantum worlds, the potential and limitations of near-term quantum devices, and the role of theoretical frameworks in advancing quantum technologies. Here are some key highlights from our conversation:
Theoretical Limits and Practical Applications: Jens discusses his team's work on establishing theoretical limits and guidelines for what can be achieved with current quantum hardware, focusing on both long-term and near-term goals.Benchmarking and Certification: The importance of randomized benchmarking techniques is highlighted, including their role in diagnosing and improving quantum devices. Jens elaborates on how these techniques can provide detailed diagnostic information and their limitations in scalability.Error Mitigation and Non-Unit Noise: Insights into the impact of non-unit noise on quantum circuits and the limitations of error mitigation techniques, particularly concerning their scalability.Quantum Simulation and Near-Term Devices: Jens shares his cautious optimism about the potential for near-term quantum devices to achieve practical applications, particularly in the field of quantum simulation.Innovative and Foundational Research: The conversation touches on Jens' interest in both pioneering new fields and concluding existing ones. He shares intriguing research on the emergence of temperature in quantum systems and its potential implications for quantum algorithms.

Welcome to The New Quantum Era podcast! In today’s episode, we dive deep into the fascinating world of quantum computing and the broader tech landscape with Anastasia Marchenkova, who has a unique blend of experiences in startups, academia, and venture capital. Join us as we explore the intersections of technology, business, and education, and uncover the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the quantum era.
Highlights from the Interview:
Journey into Quantum Computing: Learn how our Anastasia's early experiences in quantum telecommunications and a serendipitous encounter with a startup led to a pivotal role at Rigetti Computing.Building and Scaling Startups: Insights into the startup ecosystem, including the importance of customer discovery, the challenges of scaling deep tech companies, and the role of non-dilutive funding from sources like DARPA.Interdisciplinary Innovations: Discover how principles from quantum computing are being applied to other cutting-edge fields like thermodynamic computing and AI, and the potential for cross-disciplinary breakthroughs.The Importance of Communication and Networking: Discussion on the critical role of communication skills in science and technology, and how building connections can drive innovation and collaboration.Future Vision and Education: Our guest’s ambitious plans for bridging the gap between deep tech and the broader public through educational initiatives and media, aiming to inspire the next generation of technologists and entrepreneurs.Mentioned in This Episode:
Rigetti Computing: A pioneering quantum computing startup.DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency): A key source of non-dilutive funding for deep tech projects.Quantum Benchmark: A company specializing in error characterization and mitigation for quantum computing, acquired by Keysight Technologies.Thermodynamic Computing: An emerging field aimed at reducing energy consumption in AI, with notable contributions from researchers like Patrick Coles, who founded Normal Computing, and Guillaume Verdun, who recently founded Extropic.VC Lab: An incubator program for training emerging venture capitalists.

In this episode of The New Quantum Era, Kevin and Sebastian are joined by a special guest, Paul Cadden-Zemansky, Associate Professor of Physics at Bard College and Director of the Physics Program. Paul is also on the Executive Committee for the International Year of Quantum at the American Physical Society and has been actively involved in the UN’s recent declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. With the UN resolution now official, Paul joins us to discuss the significance and plans for this global celebration of quantum mechanics.
Listeners can expect an insightful conversation covering the following key points:
The Significance of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology: Paul explains the origins and importance of the UN’s declaration, marking the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics and its impact over the past century.Global Collaboration and Outreach: Discussion on the international cooperation involved in getting the resolution passed, including the involvement of various scientific societies and countries, and the emphasis on public awareness and education.Challenges and Strategies for Quantum Communication: Paul shares his thoughts on the difficulties of communicating complex quantum concepts to the public and the strategies to make quantum mechanics more accessible and engaging.Future Plans and Initiatives: Insights into the plans for 2025, including potential events, educational resources, and how individuals and organizations can get involved in promoting quantum science.Innovations in Quantum Visualization: Paul’s work with students on new methods for visualizing complex quantum systems, including the development of tools to help understand two-qubit states.Mentioned in this episode:
UN Declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and TechnologyAmerican Physical Society (APS)Quantum 2025 Website: quantum2025.orgPaul’s Research Paper on Quantum Visualization on ArxivPaul's web-based visualization toolJoin us as we delve into the exciting world of quantum mechanics and explore the plans for celebrating its centennial year!

In this episode of The New Quantum Era, host Sebastian Hassinger comes to you again from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, during their launch event in April 2024 for the deployment of an IBM System One quantum computer on their campus. RPI invited me to lead a panel discussion with members of their faculty and IT team, and provided a podcast studio for my use for the remainder of the week, where he recorded a series of interviews. In this episode Sebastian interviews Di Fang, an assistant professor of mathematics at Duke University and member of the Duke Quantum Center. They discuss Dr. Fang's research on the theoretical aspects of quantum computing and quantum simulation, the potential for quantum computers to demonstrate quantum advantage over classical computers, and the need to balance theory with practical applications. Key topics and takeaways from the conversation include:
- Dr. Fang's background as a mathematician and how taking a quantum computing class taught by Umesh Vazirani at UC Berkeley sparked her interest in the field of quantum information science- The potential for quantum computers to directly simulate quantum systems like molecules, going beyond the approximations required by classical computation- The importance of both proving theoretical bounds on quantum algorithms and working towards practical resource estimation and hardware implementation to demonstrate real quantum advantage- The stages of development needed to go from purely theoretical quantum advantage to solving useful real-world problems, and the role of Google's quantum XPRIZE competition in motivating practical applications- The long-term potential for quantum computing to have a disruptive impact like AI, but the risk of a "quantum winter" if practical results don't materialize, and the need for continued fundamental research by academics alongside industry efforts

In this episode of The New Quantum Era, we're diving deep into the intersection of quantum computing and chemistry with Jamie Garcia, Technical Program Director for Algorithms and Scientific Partnerships Group with IBM Quantum. Jamie brings a unique perspective, having transitioned from a background in chemistry to the forefront of quantum computing. At the heart of our discussion is the deployment of the IBM Quantum computer at RPI, marking a significant milestone as the first of its kind on a university campus. Jamie shares insights into the challenges and breakthroughs in using quantum computing to push the boundaries of computational chemistry, highlighting the potential to revolutionize how we approach complex chemical reactions and materials science.
Throughout the interview, Jamie discusses the evolution of quantum computing from a theoretical novelty to a practical tool in scientific research, particularly in chemistry. We explore the limitations of classical computational methods in chemistry, such as the reliance on approximations, and how quantum computing offers the promise of more accurate and efficient simulations. Jamie also delves into the concept of "utility" in quantum computing, illustrating how IBM's quantum computers are beginning to perform tasks that challenge classical computing capabilities. The conversation further touches on the significance of quantum computing in education and research, the integration of quantum systems with high-performance computing (HPC) centers, and the future of quantum computing in addressing complex problems in chemistry and beyond.
Jamie's homepage at IBM ResearchHow Quantum Computing Could Remake Chemistry, an article by Jamie Garcia in Scientific American

Sebastian interviews Professor Lin Lin during the System One ribbon cutting event at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Professor Lin Lin's journey from computational mathematics to quantum chemistry has been driven by his fascination with modeling nature through computation. As a student at Peking University, he was intrigued by the concept of first principles modeling, which aims to simulate chemical systems using minimal information such as atomic species and positions. Lin Lin pursued this interest during his PhD at Princeton University, working with mathematicians and chemists to develop better algorithms for density functional theory (DFT). DFT reformulates the high-dimensional quantum chemistry problem into a more tractable three-dimensional one, albeit with approximations. While DFT works well for about 95% of cases, it struggles with large systems and the remaining "strongly correlated" 5%. Lin Lin and his collaborators radically reformulated DFT to enable calculations on much larger systems, leading to his faculty position at UC Berkeley in 2014.
In 2018, a watershed year marked by his tenure, Lin Lin decided to tackle the challenging 5% of strongly correlated quantum chemistry problems. Two emerging approaches showed promise: artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Both AI and quantum computing are well-suited for handling high-dimensional problems, albeit in fundamentally different ways. Lin Lin aimed to leverage both approaches, collaborating on the development of deep molecular dynamics using AI to efficiently parameterize interatomic potentials. On the quantum computing side, his group worked to reformulate quantum chemistry for quantum computers. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin Lin and his collaborators have made significant strides in combining AI and quantum computing to push the boundaries of computational chemistry simulations, bridging the fields of mathematics, chemistry, AI, and quantum computing in an exciting new frontier.
Thanks again to Professor Lin and everyone at RPI for hosting me and providing such an amazing opportunity to interview so many brilliant researchers.