Opportunities

QuEST was awarded funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to establish a networked trans-Atlantic partnership, sharing engineering and entrepreneurship solutions to the commercialisation of quantum technologies, and driving knowledge exchange between quantum experts and end-users.

Find out more about this project.

Wednesday 2 April 2025
12:00-17:00 (with networking lunch)
South Kensington Campus, SKEM 307

Join QuEST for an interactive workshop to demystify UK quantum policy, show how it shapes your research, and explore how Imperial can support you to engage with government and civil service stakeholders.

Join us for a networking lunch and meet our speakers. They’ll cover how Imperial engages with UK government, explore the UK’s current quantum policy, and unpack how the civil service and government view quantum now. We’ll look at the legal implications of research security policy for quantum researchers today. Through case studies and practical exercises, you'll gain tools to navigate the intersection of research, policy, and government priorities, and explore why and how to engage with policymakers about your area of quantum research.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn how quantum policy affects your research. Register now to secure your place!

Quantum science is central to chemistry, from quantised energy levels to electron spin and molecular modelling. Quantum research breakthroughs in the last two decades have uncovered exciting new technological opportunities, including ultra-precise brain imaging, GPS-free navigation and rapid drug discovery, all based on the quantum behaviour of atoms and molecules.

In 2025, which is the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the QChem project will boost the science communication skills of early career chemists, and develop public engagement demonstrations to engage young people with quantum science and technology, highlighting the critical role of chemists and chemistry in designing future devices. 

The QChem project is funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry, and is run jointly between Imperial College London and the University of Manchester. 

Training and engagement dates

• 21 February 2025: public engagement masterclass with Dr Anna Ploszajski (materials chemist and public speaker) in London.
• 12 March 2025: workshop to develop demonstrations with Andreas Tretiakov (school chemistry technician) in Manchester and London
• April 2025 (date and location TBC): focus group with school teachers and students to test and refine demonstrations and communication skills.
• June-October 2025: attend one or more science festivals, ‘make-and-take’ workshops, and community engagement events to deliver the demonstrations.

What you get

• Training in London and Manchester (travel and subsistence costs paid)
• Equipment/consumables funding to develop and deliver a workshop/demonstration  

Register and find out more

Sign up to take part here by 14 February 2025.

To find out more, contact QuEST. 

Wednesday 29 January 2025

South Kensington Campus, Skempton 163, 14:00-17:00

Are you a PhD student or early career researcher, passionate about your quantum research, but unsure how to make it accessible and exciting for young audiences? This interactive workshop is designed to help you develop demonstrations that communicate complex quantum concepts in engaging, hands-on ways for school students aged 11 and up.

Through guidance from experienced educators, and supportive brainstorming, you’ll learn how to translate your research into demos that inspire curiosity and understanding. No prior experience with science communication is necessary – just bring your enthusiasm for quantum research and a willingness to think creatively!

By the end of the session, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of what makes a great demo for young learners, and some ideas to start designing your own.

Imperial has an extensive public engagement programme planned for the International Year of Quantum in 2025, so there will be multiple opportunities to get some experience at live events.

Schedule

14:00 Introduction to Imperial’s IYQ plans and event audiences

14:15 Short talk + Q&A exploring an existing demonstration.

14:30 small group work: brainstorm your own work to build a demo out of it (think big: this can be very loosely related to your own work, e.g. what basic quantum concept are you working with?).

15:15 break with tea/coffee

15:30 small group work (remixed groups): 3 minutes to pitch your demo and 10 to get suggestions from the group on how to make it more spectacular/cooler/more accessible.

16:30 summary: what did you learn?

16:45 next steps

Team

• Steve Kolthammer, Physics
• Rupert Oulton, Physics
• James Romero, Public Engagement

To register, contact Miranda Toora, QuEST centre manager, miranda.toora@imperial.ac.uk

Complexity theory aims to formally answer the question: What resources (e.g. time, space, communication, etc…) are required to solve a given computational problem? Classically, complexity theory led to the landmark theory of NP-completeness, which captures a staggering collection of practical problems ranging from graph theory to optimization problems. Quantum complexity theory, in turn, adds the use of quantum resources to the picture; the problems captured now thus include physically motivated ones such as ground state energy estimation for many-body quantum systems. In this series of lectures, we give a beginner-friendly introduction to the fundamental concepts in quantum complexity theory, including BQP (the quantum analogue of P), QMA (the quantum analogue of NP), and completeness results (such as ground state energy estimation). As time allows, additional topics will include the “dequantization” of certain quantum algorithms, and hardness of approximation for variants of quantum NP. No background in complexity theory (classical nor quantum) is assumed. Basic background in quantum computing is assumed.

Time:  16-17 January 2025

Speaker: Sevag Gharibian, Paderborn University.

Contact: Rita Ahmadi (f.ahmadi@imperial.ac.uk) 

Understanding quantum many body systems poses some of the most outstanding challenges in quantum physics. The computational effort required to describe these systems generally grows exponentially with the number of particles. It turns out that for the types of interactions found in nature, in many relevant cases, explored in this course, such a description has only polynomial complexity in the particle number. For local gapped Hamiltonians defined on a lattice, this reduction of complexity is manifest in the language of tensor network states, which have not only revolutionised our ability to simulate quantum many-body systems, but also the way we think about quantum matter itself. As a result, the utility of tensor network states has by now far exceeded their traditional realm of condensed matter physics. They are now being applied in areas as distant as lattice gauge theories, quantum computing, quantum gravity and, most recently, machine learning.

Time: 12-13 December 2024

Speaker: Thorsten Wahl,  University of Cambridge 

Contact: Rita Ahmadi (f.ahmadi@imperial.ac.uk) 

QuEST has been allocated two DTP studentships by the Faculty of Engineering for the 2024-25 academic year. We are currently inviting applications for these studentships via engineering departments across the College. 

If you would like to nominate a student for one of these awards, details are below:

Eligibility:

• Candidates must be incoming PhD students for the 2024-25 academic year, with home-fee status and registered in the Faculty of Engineering.
• The candidates project must fall within the remit of “Engineering Quantum Technologies”.

The QuEST DTP studentship will provide up to 3.5 years of support (42 months), including:

• Full funding for home or Ireland tuition fees.
• A UKRI-level stipend, including London weighting.
• A consumables fund of £1,000 per annum for the first three years.

Nomination process:

• If you are interested in nominating a candidate for a QuEST DTP studentship, you should speak to the PG admissions team in your home department, as departments are collating nominations on behalf of QuEST.
• Departments have been asked to provide a shortlist of eligible candidates to QuEST no later than 8 January 2024, with the outcomes expected to be returned by 26 January 2024.
• Nominations will need to include a copy of the candidate’s application and a supporting letter from the potential supervisor.

10.00-17.00, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington campus

This conference is for Imperial ECRs and research students, to find out about the quantum research going on across Imperial, and make connections with peers. It’ll feature keynote speakers, a poster session and breakout discussions. The conference is free to attend but we can't pay for poster printing. 

Keynote speakers are:

• Roberto Lo Nardo, Client Delivery Lead, IBM
• Helen Margolis, Head of Science for Time & Frequency and NPL Senior Fellow, National Physical Laboratory
• Roger McKinley, Quantum Technologies Challenge Leader, UKRI
• Richard Murray, CEO, ORCA Computing.

Panel moderator: Jessica Wade, Imperial College London

Sign up here.

This event is only open to current Imperial staff and students, and to students who will start their courses in October 2024.

The Centre of Excellence in Quantum Engineering, Science & Technology (QuEST) are seeking to engage two PhD students to work on an innovative training programme to help investors understand Quantum Technologies. The ideal candidates will have an interest in the UK quantum ecosystem and entrepreneurship.

You will be partnered with an academic and involved in gathering information, creating a curriculum, and coordinating training to help investors better understand quantum technologies (QTs) and be able to evaluate investment opportunities in the area. You will help to identify and support Imperial researchers who can deliver the training and design an engagement strategy to attract and educate the investment community. The programme will align with the ambitions of the National Quantum Strategy, and provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, current state-of-the-art and potential opportunities of QTs. You will gain experience of working with financial entrepreneurs, physicists, engineers, industry partners and policymakers.

Funding is available for PhD students to spend up to 3.5 hours per week from now until 31 July and will be paid at the higher rate for graduate teaching assistants on the same terms. If you're interested, please send your CV and a single paragraph outlining relevant interests and experience to quantum@imperial.ac.uk. Please copy in your main supervisor to confirm that you have discussed this with them and have their support.

In spring 2024 EPSRC awarded Imperial an uplift of about £1M in DTP studentship funding for research in quantum technologies, for the forthcoming intake of PhD students.

To be eligible for support, students must be undertaking research training predominantly in EPSRC’s quantum technologies remit. Funding may be used to support stipend, fees (home rate), and RTSG. Note that in line with 2023 updates to UKRI T&Cs for training grants, RTSG spend must be itemised. A small number of international students can be supported with this funding, but the host department would need to cover the difference between home and international tuition fees.

QuEST is coordinating the allocation of these funds.

At this stage we are inviting departments to alert us to eligible applicants to whom offers have already been made (and may have been accepted) or who are under active consideration. We will make a first allocation from nominations received by 16 February and proceed to consider fortnightly batches thereafter.  

The QuEST management group will confirm eligibility and determine prioritisation. Preference will be given to students who:

• are supervised by early career academics
• have cross-departmental collaboration in the supervisory team
• are from groups under-represented in the quantum technologies field.

QuEST will also be organising some cohort building activities. By submitting nominations, departments and supervisors agree to encourage students' participation in these activities. 

The Centre of Excellence in Quantum Engineering, Science & Technology (QuEST) would like the support of two PhD students:

• PhD role 1: to develop teaching materials aimed at increasing investor confidence in supporting quantum businesses. You will create a short curriculum to help investors better understand quantum technologies and be able to evaluate investment opportunities in the area.
• PhD role 2: to develop a briefing paper on the UK quantum entrepreneurship ecosystem, looking at environments which promote building tech trajectories that are compatible with scale and generating financial advantage.

The ideal candidates will have an interest in the UK quantum ecosystem and entrepreneurship. You will gain experience of working with financial entrepreneurs, physicists, engineers, industry partners and policymakers. You will be partnered with  academics and involved in gathering and analysing information, and writing the report/curriculum. This may require attending occasional conferences/workshops.

Funding is available from the ICoNYCh project for PhD students to work 3.5 hours per week from now until 31 March 2025. You will be paid at the higher rate for graduate teaching assistants on the same terms. If you're interested, please send your CV and a single paragraph outlining relevant interests and experience to quantum@imperial.ac.uk by 15 November 2024. Please copy in your main supervisor to confirm that you have discussed this with them and have their support. Any questions, please contact quantum@imperial.ac.uk.

QuEST Postdoc Seed Funding Call 2023/24

The overarching aim of the QuEST centre is to bring researchers together from across the College to translate discoveries in quantum science into transformative quantum technologies. QuEST invited applications for funding for short term (2–3 month, £10-15k) research projects to enable the development of new cross-disciplinary collaborations and research directions, and to generate proof-of-concept or preliminary results, with a view to developing a larger funding proposal in the near future.

QuEST funded 3 projects which ran between 1 April and 30 June 2023. Project descriptions are available here. 

QuEST is developing a programme of training and social events for PhD students across the university who are working on quantum science and technology. This will include training in:

• entrepreneurship for quantum
• understanding policy for quantum researchers 
• science communication for quantum 
• quantum computing tools
• quantum careers.

All training is being developed primarily for the quantum DTP cohort, but will be open to quantum aligned students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and Early Career Researchers across the university. It will be advertised here, via the QuEST internal distribution list and via QTSoc.