Quantum Science and Technology Colloquia

Current and Upcoming IQST Colloquia

1. Monday 23rd March, 2026 3:00-4:00pm in SB 146

   Yasunobu Nakamura [University of Tokyo]

   Title: High-fidelity control and readout of superconducting qubits
   Abstract: Superconducting quantum computing technology has recently made significant progress towards quantum error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing. Despite various decoherence mechanisms existing in the solid-state environment as well as the variations in device fabrications, logical error suppression with quantum error correction has been demonstrated in several experiments [1]. To make it scalable by reducing the logical error rate and the associated overhead in the architecture drastically, it demands higher-fidelity control and measurement of qubits in large-scale integrated circuits. We are developing technologies for superconducting quantum computing platforms aiming at scalable, fast, and high-fidelity operations. Our efforts include 2D integration of transmon qubits, fast (<100 ns), high-fidelity (>99.9%) frequency-multiplexed qubit readout [2], fast (<50 ns), high-fidelity (>99.9%) two-qubit gates with a tunable double-transmon coupler [3,4], all-microwave CZ gate with a fixed-frequency transmon coupler [5], and broadband low-noise Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifiers [6].
   [1] Google Quantum AI, Nature 638, 920 (2025). [2] P.A. Spring et al., PRX Quantum 6, 020345 (2025). [3] R. Li et al., Phys. Rev. X 14, 041050 (2024). [4] R. Li et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 23, 064069 (2025). [5] S. Shirai et al. arXiv:2511.01260. [6] C.W.S. Chang et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 24, 044081 (2025).
   

2. Wednesday 8th April, 2026 3:00-4:00pm in SB 146

   Matteo Mariantoni [University of Waterloo]

   Title: TBA
   Abstract: TBA

Past IQST Colloquia

2025

1. Quantum technologies with semiconductor color centers in integrated photonics
   Jelena Vuckovic [Stanford University]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   6 October 2025  - abstract -

2. Quantum optics with photonic manostructures
   Michael Reimer [University of Waterloo]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   26 August 2025  - abstract -

3. Superconducting photonic circuits for quantum frequency conversion and cryogenic data links
   Hong Tang [Yale University]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   9 July 2025  - abstract -

4. Leveraging magneto-mechanics for clamped and levitated mechanics
   Mathieu Juan [University of Sherbrooke]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   25 June 2025  - abstract -

5. Corralling phonons with light
   Jack Sankey [McGill University]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   16 April 2025  - abstract -

6. Sharper images through quantum imaging
   Robert Boyd [University of Ottawa & University of Rochester]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum City
   9 April 2025  - abstract -

7. Observation of fractional elementary charges in an ultra-cold plasma of NO: A periodic many-body quantum system
   Klaus Muller-Dethlefs [The University of Manchester]
   Co-sponsored by: Quantum Horizons Alberta & Quantum City
   3 April 2025  - abstract -

8. Cryogenic memristor-based qubit control and AI autotuning for scalable quantum computing
   Dominique Drouin [University of Sherbrooke]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy & Quantum City
   26 March 2025  - abstract -

9. Quantum reference frames: A relational approach to states, symmetry, and covariance
   Časlav Brukner [Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, University of Vienna]
   11 February 2025  - abstract -

10. Optimizing quantum algorithms for next-generation quantum chemistry
    Artur Izmaylov [University of Toronto]
    29 January 2025  - abstract -

2024

1. Scanning new horizons: Information, holography & gravity (joint colloquium with Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Rob Myers [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   4 November 2024  - abstract -

2. Quantum technologies with semiconductor color centers in integrated photonics
   Jelena Vuckovic [Stanford University]
   6 October 2024  - abstract -

3. DAMSA: A novel dark matter search experiment
   Jaehoon Yu [University of Texas at Arlington]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   29 February 2024  - abstract -

2023

1. Quantum computing for industry applications
   Enrique Solano [Kipu Quantum]
   2 March 2023  - abstract -

2021

1. Testing and verifying quantum devices
   Barbara Kraus [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Innsbruck]
   1 June 2021  - abstract -

2. Bulk-boundary correspondence in topological phases of matter
   Abhijeet Alase [Institute for Quantum Science and Technology]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Mathematics and Statistics
   15 April 2021  - abstract -

2020

1. Beyond quantum resource theories
   Carlo Maria Scandolo [Department of Mathematics and Statistics]
   16 December 2020  - abstract -

2. Exploiting weak chemical bonds for building molecular devices for classical and quantum computing
   Pierre Kennepohl [Department of Chemistry]
   2 December 2020  - abstract -

3. TBA
   Lilian Childress [McGill University]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   16 April 2020  - abstract -

2019

1. Quantum-enhanced sensing with light
   Alberto Marino [University of Oklahoma]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   21 November 2019  - abstract -

2. Supersolid phases of dipolar systems
   Massimo Boninsegni [University of Alberta]
   22 May 2019  - abstract -

3. Nonlinear microresonators for integrated quantum photonics and optical atomic clocks
   Kartik Srinivasan [National Institutte of Standards and Technology]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   1 March 2019  - abstract -

2018

1. Quantum quivering from dissipation and noise
   Aashish Clerk [University of Chicago]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   2 November 2018  - abstract -

2. TBA
   Joseph Maciejko [University of Alberta]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   19 October 2018  - abstract -

3. Optical Ising machines: Computation using a network of OPOs
   Alireza Marandi [Stanford University]
   14 March 2018  - abstract -

4. Engineering coherent defects in diamond
   Nathalie de Leon [Princeton University]
   2 February 2018  - abstract -

5. Quantum computing with superconducting circuits
   Alexandre Blais [Université de Sherbrooke]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   26 January 2018  - abstract -

2017

1. Adventures in quantum optimization with noisy qubits
   Daniel Lidar [University of Southern California]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   29 September 2017  - abstract -

2. Error models and error thresholds
   Ken Brown [Georgia Institute of Technology]
   19 April 2017  - abstract -

3. The structures and properties of ionic clusters
   Scott Hopkins [University of Waterloo ]
   29 March 2017  - abstract -

4. Quantum physics in one dimension using nanostructured Josephson-junction arrays
   Timothy Duty [University of New South Wales]
   8 March 2017  - abstract -

2016

1. Quantum computation with Rydberg atoms: across the periodic table and beyond
   Saffman Mark [University of Wisconsin (Madison) ]
   26 August 2016  - abstract -

2. D-Wave's approach to quantum computing: 1000-qubits and counting!
   Colin Williams [D-Wave Systems]
   7 April 2016  - abstract -

3. Defects in semiconductors: atomic-like systems in a solid-state host
   Kai-Mei Fu [University of Washington]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   4 March 2016  - abstract -

4. Spin transport in a unitary fermi gas
   Joseph Thywissen [University of Toronto]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   22 January 2016  - abstract -

2015

1. Universal quantum dynamics: quantum catastrophes
   Duncan O'Dell [McMaster University]
   9 December 2015  - abstract -

2. Computational Chemistry: From small molecule quantum dynamics to new materials
   Alex Brown [University of Alberta]
   2 December 2015  - abstract -

3. TBA (joint colloquium with Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Daniel Lidar [University of Southern California]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   2 December 2015  - abstract -

4. Collective quantum effects in ultracold atomic gases
   Lindsay LeBlanc [University of Alberta]
   19 November 2015  - abstract -

5. Distributed Quantum Computing and Networking with Trapped Ions
   Jungsang Kim [Duke University]
   4 November 2015  - abstract -

6. Superconducting quantum circuits
   Alexandre Blais [University of Sherbrooke]
   23 September 2015  - abstract -

7. Semiconductor quantum technologies for information processing and sensing
   Dirk Englund [Massachusetts Institute of Technology]
   16 April 2015  - abstract -

8. Quantum networks of trapped ions
   Christopher Monroe [University of Maryland]
   25 March 2015  - abstract -

9. The Kondo effect and entanglement
   Ian Affleck [University of British Columbia]
   18 February 2015  - abstract -

10. Wigner function negativity and contextuality in quantum computation on rebits
    Robert Raußendorf [University of British Columbia]
    11 February 2015  - abstract -

2014

1. Understanding the chemical vapour deposition of diamond
   Mike Ashfold [University of Bristol]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Chemistry
   24 October 2014  - abstract -

2. What is the origin of complex probability amplitudes?
   William Wootters [Williams College]
   7 May 2014  - abstract -

3. Insights into the electronic structure of molecules from Generalized Valence Bond theory
   Thomas Harold Dunning [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]
   Co-sponsored by: Center for Molecular Simulation
   16 April 2014  - abstract -

4. TBA - CANCELLED
   Christopher Monroe [University of Maryland]
   19 March 2014  - abstract -

5. Optical spectroscopy of triply charged thorium
   Alex Kuzmich [Georgia Institute of Technology]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   7 March 2014  - abstract -

6. Quantum nanophotonics and nanomechanics with diamond
   Marko Loncar [Harvard University]
   Co-sponsored by: University of Calgary Nanotechnology Group and OSA/SPIE Student Chapter
   26 February 2014  - abstract -

7. Quantum measurement tradeoffs, from Heisenberg to Aharonov to quantum data compression
   Aephraim Steinberg [University of Toronto]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   14 February 2014  - abstract -

8. Quantum metrology meets quantum information science
   Carlton Caves [University of New Mexico]
   Co-sponsored by: PIMS CRG MQI seminar series
   8 January 2014  - abstract -

2013

1. Quantum entanglement for fun and profit
   Paul Kwiat [University of Illinois]
   Co-sponsored by: PIMS CRG MQI series
   27 November 2013  - abstract -

2. Compressive quantum sensing
   John Howell [University of Rochester]
   Co-sponsored by: PIMS CRG MQI seminar series
   20 November 2013  - abstract -

3. Ultrafast light harvesting processes in photosynthesis
   Gregory Scholes [University of Toronto]
   25 September 2013  - abstract -

4. Electron shot noise is quantum light
   Bertrand Reulet [Département de Physique, Université de Sherbrooke]
   15 May 2013  - abstract -

5. Modulating light at the micro- and nano-scale
   Joyce Poon [University of Toronto]
   Co-sponsored by: OSA Student Chapter
   19 February 2013  - abstract -

2012

1. Coherence, decoherence and incoherence in natural light-induced processes
   Paul Brumer [University of Toronto]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Chemistry
   31 October 2012  - abstract -

2. Prospects in relativistic quantum information
   Achim Kempf [University of Waterloo]
   19 September 2012  - abstract -

3. Toward Quantum Information Processing Devices with Semiconductor and Graphene Quantum Dots
   Pawel Hawrylak [National Research Council (NRC) of Canada]
   13 September 2012  - abstract -

4. Correlated quantum transport of electrons up to 360 K (joint colloquium with Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics)
   John Miller [University of Houston]
   Co-sponsored by: Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics
   21 June 2012  - abstract -

5. Monolithic Semiconductor Circuits for Frequency Conversion & Quantum Photonics
   Amr Helmy [University of Toronto]
   5 June 2012  - abstract -

6. Position-based cryptography (joint colloquium with Department of Computer Science)
   Harry Buhrman [Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, and University of Amsterdam]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Computer Science
   2 May 2012  - abstract -

7. Quantum states: Are they the real thing? (joint colloquium with the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Terry Rudolph [Imperial College]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   9 March 2012  - abstract -

2011

1. Effective Hamiltonians for Detuned Systems
   Daniel James [University of Toronto]
   28 April 2011  - abstract -

2. Spin Glasses and Computational Complexity
   Daniel Gottesman [Perimeter Institute]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   6 April 2011  - abstract -

2010

1. Quantum imaging: exploiting the transverse structure of individual photons (joint colloquium with the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Robert Boyd [University of Ottawa]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   3 December 2010  - abstract -

2. Hydrogen Tunneling and Protein Motion in Enzyme Reactions
   Sharon Hammes-Schiffer [Pennsylvania State University]
   Co-sponsored by: Institute for Biocomplexity and Informatics
   18 October 2010  - abstract -

3. Cavity QED: Nonlinearity and the World of Quanta (joint colloquium with the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Howard Carmichael [University of Auckland]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   19 February 2010  - abstract -

2009

1. Quantum limits and entanglement in metrology and magnetometry
   Eugene Polzik [Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen University]
   8 December 2009  - abstract -

2. Quantum computer - dream and realization
   Rainer Blatt [Institut für Experimentalphysik, Universität Innsbruck]
   2 November 2009  - abstract -

3. Does Zeno Freeze the Evolution? On Quantum Heating, Cooling and Freezing.
   Gershon Kurizki [The Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot 76100 , Israel]
   29 July 2009  - abstract -

4. Towards a QED for dispersive and absorptive media
   John Sipe [University of Toronto]
   5 May 2009  - abstract -

5. Hiking over quantum control landscapes (MITACS QIP Seminar Series)
   Herschel Rabitz [Princeton University]
   Co-sponsored by: Institute for Biocomplexity & Information
   7 April 2009  - abstract -

6. Quantum information and its application to cryptography (MITACS QIP Seminar Series)
   Michele Mosca [Institute for Quantum Computing]
   3 April 2009  - abstract -

7. Quantum-Opto-Mechanics: quantum foundations and quantum information on the nano- and microscale
   Markus Aspelmeyer [Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of Austrian Academy of Sciences]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   10 March 2009  - abstract -

2008

1. Using quantum mechanics to detect anthrax (joint colloquium with the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Marlan Scully [Texas A&M University and Princeton University]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   12 December 2008  - abstract -

2. Entanglement in quantum many-body systems far away from equilibrium: Are there non-trivial quantum effects in biology?
   Hans Briegel [Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck; Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   11 December 2008  - abstract -

3. Recollections of Oppenheimer and Schwinger (joint colloquium with the Department of Physics and Astronomy)
   Edward Gerjuoy [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh]
   Co-sponsored by: Institute for Quantum Information Science
   31 October 2008  - abstract -

4. Controlled Coupling and Occupation of Silicon Atomic Quantum Dots at Room Temperature
   Robert Wolkow [Department of Physics, University of Alberta & National Institute for Nanotechnology]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   21 October 2008  - abstract -

5. Dimensional Scaling for Atoms and Molecules (PHAS colloquium)
   Goong Chen [Texas A&M University]
   16 May 2008  - abstract -

2007

1. A personal perspective on quantum cryptography (Faculty of Science Distinguished Lecture)
   Gilles Brassard [Université de Montréal]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   28 September 2007  - abstract -

2. Protecting an optical qubit against photon loss
   Konrad Banaszek [Nicolaus Copernicus University]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   20 June 2007  - abstract -

3. Quantum Interconnecting Atoms and Photons (Co-sponsored by MITACS)
   Joerg Schmiedmayer [Atominstitut der österreichischen Universitäten]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   4 June 2007  - abstract -

4. Quantum observations: reconstruction of quantum states and processes (Co-sponsored by MITACS)
   Vladimír Bužek [Research Center for Quantum Information, Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences]
   Co-sponsored by: MITACS QIP Seminar Series
   31 May 2007  - abstract -

5. Entanglement in Quantum Information (MAST Colloquium)
   Gilad Gour [University of Calgary]
   22 March 2007  - abstract -

6. Large-Scale Quantum Phenomena, & the Decoherence Enigma (PHAS Colloquium)
   Philip Stamp [Pacific Institute for Theoretical Physics, Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia]
   16 March 2007  - abstract -

2006

1. Cat States and Bose Condensates in Double Well Potentials
   Birgitta Whaley [University of California, Berkeley]
   18 October 2006  - abstract -

2. Linear Optical Quantum Computing, Imaging, and Metrology -- What's New with N00N States?
   Jonathan Dowling [Hearne Institute for Theoretical Physics, Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge]
   4 October 2006  - abstract -

3. Einstein, the EPR argument, and Steering: New Perspectives from Quantum Information
   Howard Wiseman [Centre for Quantum Computer Technology, Centre for Quantum Dynamics, School of Science, Griffith University]
   17 August 2006  - abstract -

4. Fault-tolerant architecture for very noisy gates
   Emanuel Knill [NIST]
   7 June 2006  - abstract -

5. Towards optical quantum computation with realistic devices
   Terry Rudolph [Imperial College, London]
   19 April 2006  - abstract -

6. Observing and manipulating quantum information: some experiments with photons and atoms.
   Aephraim Steinberg [CQIQC, University of Toronto]
   23 February 2006  - abstract -

2005

1. Towards Long-Distance Quantum Communication.
   Wolfgang Tittel [ Group of Applied Physics (GAP)-Optique, Université de Genèe, Switzerland]
   13 July 2005  - abstract -

2. Practical Quantum Cryptography
   Alexei Trifonov [Chief Scientist and Vice-President Research and Development MagiQ Technologies Inc., Boston, USA]
   6 July 2005  - abstract -

3. Optical quantum computing: science-fiction, horror-story or news?
   Andrew White [Program Manager, Centre for Quantum Computer Technology and Faculty Member, Centre for Biophotonics and Laser Science, The University of Queensland, Australia]
   17 June 2005  - abstract -

4. Quantum Key Distribution
   Norbert Lütkenhaus [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Erlange-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany]
   10 June 2005  - abstract -

5. Quantum Communication and Quantum Computation with Entangled Photons
   Anton Zeilinger [Institute for Experimental Physics, University of Vienna and Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Austrian Academy of Sciences]
   4 March 2005  - abstract -

1970

1. TBA
   Alberto Marino [University of Oklahoma]
   Co-sponsored by: Department of Physics and Astronomy
   21 November 1970  - abstract -