NARASIMHAN KASTHURI
SAN FRANCISCO, VA, OCT 6
The Quad Investors Network which had launched the Quad Center of Excellence in Quantum Information Sciences recently in Australia announced Dr Celia Merzbacher as the US Co-Chair of the center.
She joins three other co-chairs from the Quad Nations, Dr Cathy Foley, Chief Scientist of Australia; Dr Ajay Sood, Principal Science Advisor of India; and Dr Hiroaki Aihara, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo. Together, the four co-chairs of the QUIN’s Quantum Center of Excellence will be building bridges, focusing on economic development, and facilitating investment in Quantum Information Sciences among the Quad countries, according to a communique.
- She joins three other co-chairs from the Quad Nations, Dr Cathy Foley, Chief Scientist of Australia; Dr Ajay Sood, Principal Science Advisor of India; and Dr Hiroaki Aihara, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo
- The objective of the center is to link together individuals and institutions across the Quad countries to drive greater technological collaboration, market access, and cross-border investments
- The network would play an integral role in developing the quantum information sciences sector: Karl Mehta, Chairman of the Quad Investors Network
The center was inaugurated in Australia this year led by the center’s two co-chairs, Australian Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley and Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Professor Ajay K Sood. Prominent executives, investors, and academics in the quantum technology sector from Quad nations participated.
The objective of the center is to link together individuals and institutions across the Quad countries to drive greater technological collaboration, market access, and cross-border investments. The aim is to secure leadership in quantum information sciences and build resilient, reliable supply chains based on the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
According to Karl Mehta, Chairman of the Quad Investors Network, the network would play an integral role in developing the quantum information sciences sector. The network is a unique platform that would bring together subject matter experts, capital allocators, and business leaders to address some of the world’s most pressing issues in critical and emerging technologies. The center would ensure Quad countries and companies were strategically positioned to lead the global quantum industry.
The core focus for the center would be quantum communications, computing, sensing, and enabling a “quantum ecosystem” among the Quad nations. The center would establish separate task forces to provide analyses and blueprints for strategic partnership opportunities for investment network members.
QUIN Interim Executive Director, Asif Bhatti, said as the Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, she has led the establishment of a trusted community and is promoting the quantum ecosystem worldwide.
This collaboration promises to accelerate and grow innovation and progress, aimed at propelling the economic value of quantum technologies in areas from energy and health to finance and aeronautics, according to Celia.
“Celia, alongside our other co-chairs, Dr Sood, Dr Foley, and Dr Aihara, together represent the foremost leaders in Quantum Sciences,” said QUIN Chairman Karl Mehta.
“Through the efforts of our co-chairs, the Quantum CoE will become a platform for technical collaboration, increase cross-border investment, and drive market inclusivity.”
In addition to her role as Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), Dr Celia was Vice President for Innovative Partnerships at the Semiconductor Research Corporation, a consortium of the semiconductor industry. In 2003-2008, she was Assistant Director for Technology R&D in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she oversaw the establishment and coordination of the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
(Narasimhan Kasthuri was a veteran journalist with The Hindu and Financial Express covering business, IT etc. Now, in the US West Coast, he covers technology for NE. He can be contacted at @narasimhan.kasturi@yahoo.com, Mobile: +1 (650) 793-0056)
