The WA Branch of the AIP invites you to a public lecture by Professor Andrew White (University of Queensland) who will be explaining recent developments in quantum computing.

We all learn to add by counting on our fingers, and today’s computers are very good at doing this very quickly. Future computers will use the weird properties of quantum mechanics – such as objects being in two places at once – to solve problems that are impossible with conventional computers. This is definitely not like counting on your fingers! This talk looks at building a quantum computer with light, explains the concepts of quantum superposition and entanglement in everyday (even culinary!) terms, and reports the very latest breakthroughs reported in New Scientist in September.

This lecture is aimed at the layperson or student with an interest in science, or computing, or the world in 20 years. There will be cartoons, a demonstration, and no equations!

Andrew White is the leading Australian researcher in the development of the first quantum computer. He has been awarded the most prestigious research fellowship in Australia, a Federation Fellowship, by the Australian Research Council and is involved in applications that have delivered over $40M of research funds from sources in Australia and the USA. A few years ago Professor White led a team of Australian and US researchers which made a major breakthrough towards the development of the next generation of computation. In a world first, they reported successfully building and testing a C-NOT gate, an essential component to enable quantum computers to work. More recently he has developed instruments that can explore the weirdness of quantum mechanics directly in the laboratory.

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