��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Quantum Alberta researchers pushing towards a second quantum revolution

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 18:16:11 +0000

You likely never think about how your new mobile phone is twice as fast as your last, why you now feel secure making bank transactions remotely, or how Google and Alexa now plan your days — it’s just the world in which we live. The technology, the security, the communicative ability can all be traced to research, and the future of these advances is even brighter thanks to work being done right now by Quantum Alberta researchers, a fifth of whom are based at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Dr. Saurya Das of the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

Dr. Saurya Das, in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, is a theme leader of Quantum Alberta, a province-wide platform of more than 35 quantum researchers from the Universities of Lethbridge, Calgary and Alberta. It is made up of physicists, chemists, computer scientists, mathematicians and engineers and promotes and strengthens collaboration between researchers and institutions in quantum science and technology.

Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering that relies on the principles of quantum physics. Applications of quantum technologies include highly accurate sensor technology (for use in oil and gas or construction, for example) and secure communications and computing (for computer optimization, machine learning uses and for creating a quantum internet).

Recently, the Government of Alberta renewed its support of Quantum Alberta in terms of the five-year $12-million Quantum Major Innovation Fund Project (QMP). Das is the principal investigator of the project from the U of L. His group and the users of the project at the U of L have received nearly $1 million ($400,000 from the provincial government and the rest from other granting agencies) for their part.

“This shows the confidence of the government in our researchers and the other universities that they will deliver the project as promised, and in particular advance quantum technologies, innovation and jobs,” says Das. “The project has already supported many Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) at the U of L, the majority of whom were attracted to Alberta from outside, which would not have been possible without the grant.”

Indeed, the provincial government sees quantum technology as a major driver of economic diversification.

“Diversifying our economy has never been more important,” says Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. “Establishing Alberta as a leader in quantum technologies will give a competitive boost to our economy and create new jobs today and for the future.”

The main areas of research at the U of L in support of Quantum Alberta are in the studies of quantum gravity, quantum sensing and quantum computation. Joining Das as part of Quantum Alberta are fellow researchers Drs. Mark Walton and Pasquale Bosso (physics & astronomy); Daya Gaur, Robert Benkoczi and Shahadat Hossain (mathematics & computer science); and Stacey Wetmore (chemistry & biochemistry). The QMP Lethbridge team consists of most of the above researchers as well as Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis (chemistry & biochemistry).

“Quantum technology will deliver the second quantum revolution in the 21st century in terms of quantum devices, quantum computers, quantum internet and so on,” says Das, adding the first revolution was in the early 20th century. “It is not surprising that academia, industry and the provincial and federal governments are prioritizing quantum technologies and providing the necessary resources for advancing the field. The future of the world is quantum!”

Faculty and student researchers buoyed by NSERC funding

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:07:49 +0000

A diverse and comprehensive group of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers was awarded $1.98 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) this week, part of $558 million in total funding to post-secondary researchers and students, the largest investment in research from NSERC this year.

Projects in chemistry & biochemistry, neuroscience, kinesiology & physical education, mathematics & computer science, environmental science, biology and psychology all received funding support.

In addition, eight graduate students received $336,000 in funding, further broadening the impact of the federal government’s investment in research activities at the U of L.

“Canada supports science and our talented researchers. We are delivering on our historic investment in research and in the next generation of scientists. These remarkable researchers and students we are celebrating are working to make the world a better place and to secure a brighter future for all Canadians,” says The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport.

Dr. Erasmus Okine, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s vice-president (research) says he is impressed with the breadth of research being funded.

“It speaks to the level of activity we have going on throughout the institution, and the variety of issues our researchers and students are tackling,” says Okine. “This level of funding is a recognition by NSERC that our people are making a real difference through their research work and will continue to do so.”

Projects in chemistry & biochemistry, neuroscience, kinesiology & physical education, mathematics & computer science, environmental science, biology and psychology all received funding support. Dr. Robert Sutherland’s study in the Department of Neuroscience, Hippocampus and memory: A systems level approach, earned $285,000 over five years, the largest award of the funded projects.

Sutherland describes the hippocampus as being situated at the hub of a set of distributed cortical networks that represent movement and perceptual information. Amnesia is the most prominent effect of damage to or dysfunction of the hippocampus and most forms of human memory disorder involve the hippocampus.

“The current proposal examines, in detail, how the interactions between the hippocampus and other cortical networks establish long-term memories,” says Sutherland, director of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. “We will discover exactly which types of information depend on the hippocampus and how the hippocampus modifies the functioning of the cortex through long-term interactions.”

Dr. Louise Barrett, Canada Research Chair in Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour and member of the U of L’s Department of Psychology, will receive $200,000 over five years (plus an accelerator supplement of $120,000 over three years) for her project, Behavioural Flexibility, Fertility and Social Network Influences in Human and Non-Human Primates.

In her work, Barrett aims to understand how evolutionary processes influence the behaviour of human and non-human primates.

“More specifically, I am interested in exploring those aspects that we share with other primate species, and those that make us different,” she says.

Other funded researchers include:

Dr. Matthew Tata, neuroscience; Dr. Steven Mosimann, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Marc Roussel, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis, chemistry & biochemistry; Dr. Marc Bomhof, kinesiology & physical education; Dr. John Anvik, mathematics & computer science; Dr. Alexey Popov, mathematics & computer science; Dr. David Euston, neuroscience; Dr. Sergio Pellis, neuroscience; Dr. Stephanus Henzi, psychology; Dr. Cameron Goater, biological sciences; Dr. Majid Mohajerani, neuroscience.

Graduate students who received funding include:

Elijah Dueck, chemistry & biochemistry; Lukas Grasse, neuroscience; Samantha Krause, psychology; Kailyn Nelson, environmental science; Candace Burke, neuroscience; Serena Jenkins, neuroscience; Justin Lee, neuroscience; Conner MacNeil, chemistry & biochemistry.

UNews - Athanasios Zovoilis

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Quantum Alberta researchers pushing towards a second quantum revolution

Related Topics

Faculty and student researchers buoyed by NSERC funding

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Quantum Alberta researchers pushing towards a second quantum revolution