All About Quantum Information Science: Sensing

When you hear the word “quantum,” does your mind jump immediately to science fiction? Well, our everyday reality is quickly catching up to what was make-believe! Quantum information science studies matter and energy at the most basic level. Researchers in the field aim to uncover the properties and behaviors of the very building blocks of nature.

Quantum information science (QIS) is an emerging field that spans computation, communication, precision measurement, and fundamental quantum mechanics. Quantum discoveries have been incorporated into our foundational understanding of materials, chemistry, biology, and astronomy. QIS is viewed through three main areas:

• Quantum Computing
• Quantum Communication
• Quantum Sensing

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Senses are essential for animals and humans to survive! Whether it’s touching, smelling, seeing, or hearing, we all use different senses to communicate and detect what is happening in our surroundings. Computers and machines can also sense their environment and activities happening around them, though they do not use ears and noses, but rather sensors. Scientists have been using sensors that measure things like matter and energy for a long time. One can detect the smallest unit of energy with Quantum sensors’ with unprecedented precision that traditional sensors simply do not possess. Whether it’s a photon or an electron, a quantum sensor, ideally, is designed to pick up the smallest, discrete building block or unit of energy or measurement. These quanta of measurement, however, are very sensitive to any external influences such as light, heat, and magnetic fields. Due to this sensitivity, experts are able to measure tiny changes, hence their ability to be extremely precise! The tricky part is isolating the quanta from the environmental influences that scientists don’t want to measure. So, how do we isolate these quanta to perform desired measurements? What exactly do experts use quantum sensors for and how? Join C2ST and our expert to learn more!

Thursday, June 1st, 2023 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm CT, C2ST Facebook Live & C2ST YouTube TV.

ACCESS OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

ACCESS OUR YOUTUBE PAGE HERE

SAVE THE DATE for our Science in the City Gala

Make sure to follow C2ST on Facebook and YouTube to receive notifications when the live program starts.

Use our Q&A app to ask live questions during the program or send in your questions in advance! Remember to upvote your favorite questions.

We are dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for everyone. Please respect diversity in individuals and in cultures.

Notice: As a guest of the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST), you agree to be photographed, videotaped, or filmed and grant C2ST permission to put the finished footage/photography to any uses that it may deem proper including marketing, advertising (print, radio, and television) and PR-related activities.

Featured Speaker:

Dr. Rakshya Khatiwada, Illinois Institute of Technology

Rakshya Khatiwada is an assistant Professor of Physics at Illinois Institute of Technology and a scientist at Fermilab. Currently, she is the group leader of a Dark matter quantum sensing project at Fermilab where she works with many scientists, postdocs and students and oversees several quantum sensing and technology development projects. She completed her postdoctoral training from Fermilab and University of Washington, Seattle in Axion Dark Matter Experiment and qubit based quantum sensors between 2015 to 2020. She received her PhD in Physics from Purdue university in 2015 and Undergraduate degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Linfield University in 2008. She was born and raised in Nepal and moved to the US to follow her dream of becoming a scientist. Apart from her work, she loves reaching out to underrepresented groups, minorities and institutions to talk about quantum sensing or career opportunities in science in general.