Join us for a conversation with Dr. Felix Thomsen, co-founder of Iceberg Quantum, as he traces his journey from PhD scholar to tech pioneer shaping the future of quantum hardware.

Felix will also discuss the unique challenges PhD students and postdocs face when launching deep-tech startups—from managing differing graduation timelines and juggling thesis work with fundraising to navigating the uncertainty of income before securing venture capital.

Iceberg Quantum is a quantum architecture startup accelerating the path to useful quantum computing—by slashing the hardware overhead needed for fault tolerance.

The company grew out of pioneering research at the University of Sydney, where founders Felix Thomsen (an SQA alumnus), Larry Cohen, and Sam Smith, then PhD students, devised a novel approach to dramatically lowering the overhead required for fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Their research led to breakthroughs in non-local LDPC codes, logical gate design, noise-aware strategies, and low-latency pre-decoding—culminating in novel error correction schemes that dramatically reduce overhead and sparked a wave of high-impact publications.

This year, Iceberg Quantum raised a $2 million (AUD) pre-seed round and announced major partnerships with PsiQuantum and Oxford Ionics, positioning the startup at the forefront of global fault-tolerant quantum R&D.

This is an in-person event. Networking drinks will follow the discussion and Q&A session.

Join us for a fascinating journey into the heart of the quantum realm, as we celebrate the World Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025. In this special talk, Klaus von Klitzing will share insights from his groundbreaking discovery of the Quantum Hall Effect – the work that led to the Nobel Prize in Physics and laid foundational stones for our quantum future.

Far from being just abstract physics, quantum science is at the cusp of revolutionizing our daily lives. Discover how the peculiar rules of the very small are being harnessed to change our world. Klaus von Klitzing will demystify the core concepts of quantum mechanics, showing how seemingly strange phenomena are driving real-world innovations.

Abstract

The concept of fault-tolerant topological qubits originates from Alexei Kitaev, who proposed a 2+1D lattice gauge theory model based on finite 1-groups. Building on this theoretical foundation, Microsoft, a major player in the technology industry, announced on 18 February 2025 the development of the first stable and robust topological qubits based on Majorana quasiparticles. This is an impressive accomplishment, but there are still many technical challenges to overcome before the realisation of topological quantum computers. These challenges include the development of advanced mathematical models to manipulate topological states.
In this talk, we generalize the Kitaev model into a 3+1D higher lattice gauge theory model based on the representations of finite 2-groups described by a category of crossed modules on a lattice model described by path 2-groupoids. We define an exactly solvable topological Hamiltonian schema based on these lattice gauge representations. We then construct the corresponding ground states, which encode quantum information, and show that these ground states are topological invariants.

Biography

Dr. Latévi Mohamed Lawson is a distinguished mathematical physicist with expertise in theoretical, mathematical, and computational aspects of quantum sciences. He obtained his PhD in theoretical physics from the Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (IMSP) in Benin in 2018. Following his doctorate, he served as an assistant lecturer of physics at the University of Lomé in Togo. He also contributed to the academic community as a reviewer for several reputable journals. In October 2020, he joined the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Ghana, where he has been active as both a teaching assistant and postdoctoral researcher. In 2024, Dr Lawson expanded his research by joining the Theoretical Division for Non-Hermitian Topological Phenomena as a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Germany.

On 28th August 2025, RSC Patan will organise an interactive session, a scientific show, and a demonstration of complex topics in quantum science and technology for college students.

Discover the fascinating definition of “quantum” through an exhibition experience as we explore the miraculous microscopic universe within atoms. Uncover the extraordinary nature of tiny particles that have led to groundbreaking scientific transformations that continue to evolve.

Journey from the fundamental understanding of quantum physics to Quantum Technology 1.0, which already surrounds us in ways we don’t even realize. Now, we’re discussing the quantum future that will play a crucial role in humanity’s advancement.

The Q^3 Initiative is a joint Center for Quantum Networks and United Nations International Telecommunications Union quantum initiative dedicated to three pillars: quantum science, art, and ethics. With two host institutions, the University of Maryland and the University of Southern California, this global initiative has two core goals:

1) Foster collaboration between artists and scientists to make quantum science more accessible to the general public.

2) Train the general public on the fundamentals of quantum computing, championing quantum for good.

The Q^3 Initiative will be held both in-person and virtually from September 12 to 14, 2025.

The University of Maryland will focus on the intersection of quantum science and art through quantum art exhibitions, performances, workshops on creative tools, and collaborative challenges that utilize artistic media to make quantum science more accessible to the general public.

The University of Southern California will focus on quantum science and its global applications and impact through workshops, lectures, and panels about global quantum technologies. Providing participants with the opportunity to network with scientists and professionals leading the quantum revolution, accompanied by technical hackathon challenges provided by IBM Quantum.

The Kenya Edition African Quantum Summit 2025, themed “Empowering Africa’s Quantum Future: Innovation, Collaboration, and Inclusion,” will take place on October 23–24, 2025, at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya. This groundbreaking event aims to position Africa as a key player in the global quantum technology landscape by fostering awareness, collaboration, and strategic investment across the continent.

The summit will convene a diverse community of stakeholders—including researchers, industry leaders, government officials, investors, and students—to explore the transformative potential of quantum technologies in fields such as computing, healthcare, finance, cybersecurity, and education.

Key features include high-level keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, startup pitching, and networking sessions, alongside curated cultural experiences. The agenda will cover thematic areas such as quantum diplomacy, quantum education and workforce development, quantum for industry, quantum computing research, and quantum entrepreneurship in Africa.

As a hybrid event, it will provide both physical and virtual access, promoting inclusive participation. The summit seeks to inspire innovation, shape regional quantum strategies, build technical capacity, and connect African quantum ecosystems with global networks.

Ultimately, this historic event will generate a strategic roadmap for Africa’s quantum future and lay the foundation for a thriving, inclusive, and globally connected quantum ecosystem on the continent.

This mini-symposium is part of the 3rd Annual SIAM/CAIMS Annual Meeting (AN25) being held in Montreal from July 28 to August 1, 2025. The symposium addresses the transformative potential of quantum computing across terrestrial and cosmic applications during the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025. As quantum technologies transition from laboratory curiosities to commercial realities, this session explores cutting-edge developments spanning optimization, fundamental physics, sustainability, and cosmology.

Dr. Muhammad Khan (SuperQ Quantum) is a mathematical optimization and industrial quantum computing expert. He will demonstrate quantum annealing’s practical advantages in routing and traveling salesman-like optimization problems. Dr. Saurya Das (Quantum Horizons Alberta, University of Lethbridge) will present theoretical foundations bridging quantum information and cosmology, exploring how quantum gravity effects manifest in observable phenomena. Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy (IIT Bombay, energy and sustainability expert) will examine quantum computing’s role in achieving net-zero goals through enhanced reservoir simulations and molecular modeling. Dr. Heliudson Bernardo (Brown University) will discuss observational signatures of quantum cosmology, connecting quantum theory to cosmic evolution.

This timely session aligns with SIAM AN25’s focus on applied mathematics while highlighting quantum computing’s emergence as a practical tool for solving humanity’s greatest challenges—from climate change to understanding our universe’s fundamental nature.

At the National Science Week- Chiang Mai, August 2025, a special event will be organized combining a mini-exhibition of the 100th World & 50th Thai Quantum S&T Anniversary milestones and talks.

Details

1) Grand Opening Speech: IYQ & ThaiYQ2025 by Assoc. Prof.Boonrucksar Soonthornthum, Thai Physics Society president.

2) Learning of Visually Impaired People: a case study by Northern School for the Blind under the royal patronage – Chiang Mai Province.

3) Introduction: Thai Quantum Information Forum by Keattisak Sripimanwat, IEEE Thailand section QuantumIT group.

4) Introduction to “Quantum Learning Center” By Assoc.Prof.Dr.Supab Choopun, Dept. of Physics, Science, Chiangmai University.

The event will take place on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of September in the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Cartagena, in Cartagena, Colombia. It will include conferences on different topics related to quantum mechanics, quantum technology, quantum biology, quantum chemistry, and also divulgative talks regarding the use of quantum mechanics in astrophysics.

The conferences will be offered for both students who are just starting to learn about quantum mechanics and those who have had more experience with the topics. Interactive sessions will be carried out during which students will learn through games about quantum mechanics and its applications, and the winners will be granted small gifts.