Since 2015, QuSoft has grown into a leading research institute where over 60 scientists of the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science (CWI) and Faculty of Science from the University of Amsterdam (FNWI) work together on fundamental and multidisciplinary quantum research. After five years, director of CWI, Jos Baeten and Peter van Tienderen, dean FNWI, signed the agreement that continues this collaboration. “I am very glad that nine years ago, when I started as director of CWI, Harry Buhrman convinced me to invest in his idea of a new research institute for quantum software”, says Baeten. “Together with the University of Amsterdam, CWI has made major investments in making QuSoft successful”.
Back in 1996, CWI started research in quantum computing. It was among the first groups worldwide to pioneer this field. Currently, this research resides in CWI’s Algorithms and Complexity group, headed by Prof. Harry Buhrman. Other specialised research on quantum condensed matter theory was already done by the Theoretical Physics Group of the University of Amsterdam, headed by Prof. Kareljan Schoutens. Nowadays, quantum research in Amsterdam is bundled in the QuSoft research center, which is hosted at CWI.
“Today’s agreement underlines the fact that all parties feel the commitment and urgency to further develop quantum software, says Prof. Buhrman, co-founder and director of QuSoft, who was recently installed as a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). “I’m proud to see QuSoft taking these steps. The results we have achieved up until now certainly motivates us to further explore the future that quantum computing has in store.”
Quantum technology future
All researchers at QuSoft contribute to software and hardware solutions for quantum computation, communication and sensing. “The impact of these quantum technologies on society is widely recognised, and QuSoft has a clear role to play in their further development”, says Prof. Schoutens, co-founder and co-director of QuSoft. Quantum computers require specialised programming methods that are totally different from the software normal computers use. “At the University of Amsterdam, we are convinced that quantum technology is one of the leading technologies of the future, opening a huge range of applications”, says van Tienderen.
Lustrum
This year QuSoft celebrates its first lustrum. Coming December activities are organised for everyone who is affiliated or wants to learn more about the institute. The lustrum will also highlight other research projects connected with, or initiated by, the QuSoft institute. This includes projects such as the Quantum Software Consortium, education program Quantum Quest and QuSoft’s new innovation hub Quantum.Amsterdam. If you want to celebrate this, register now at www.qusoft.org/lustrum.
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