Entangled Things

In Episode 84, Patrick speaks with Ryan Lafler, President and CTO of Quantum Corridor. They discuss communications systems, Quantum key distribution, and high transmission networks.Ryan Lafler co-founded Quantum Corridor, LLC, in early 2022 and serves as the President and Chief Technology Officer of the company. Ryan has more than 20 years of experience developing telecommunications solutions and has had considerable success constructing data and voice networks at scale. He previously co-founded Coeo Solutions, LLC, a managed service provider that has established fiber networks across 39 of 50 states in the U.S. He also founded FIT Telco, a telecommunications consulting firm supplying expertise in critical bandwidth for more than 30 international providers across the country. As President and CTO of Quantum Corridor, Ryan is responsible for day-to-day pathway and asset management, as well as the design, implementation and management of Quantum Corridor’s network. He possesses extensive experience and a comprehensive technical understanding of telecommunications and fiber networks, which will facilitate the advancement of capabilities and efficiencies in Quantum Corridor while providing innovative solutions with new technologies. Originally from Arizona, Ryan is a Tool fan, an auto fanatic and lives in the west suburbs of Chicago. 

In Episode 83, Patrick and Ciprian speak with returning guest Dr. Prineha Narang of UCLA. The team discusses distributed quantum sensor networks, lasers, magnons, and new technology application opportunities through organic conversations.Dr. Prineha Narang is a Professor in Physical Sciences and Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCLA with an interdisciplinary group spanning areas of physics, chemistry, and engineering. Prior to moving to UCLA, she was an Assistant Professor of Computational Materials Science at Harvard University. Before starting on the Harvard faculty in 2017, Dr. Narang was an Environmental Fellow at HUCE, and worked as a research scholar in condensed matter theory in the Department of Physics at MIT. She received an M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Caltech. Her group works on theoretical and computational quantum materials, non-equilibrium dynamics, and quantum information science. Narang’s work has been recognized by many awards and special designations, Narang’s work has been recognized by many awards and special designations, including the 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship in Physics, Maria Goeppert Mayer Award from the American Physical Society, 2023 ONR Young Investigator Award, 2022 Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award from the Materials Research Society, Mildred Dresselhaus Prize, Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, a Max Planck Sabbatical Award from the Max Planck Society, and the IUPAP Young Scientist Prize in Computational Physics all in 2021, an NSF CAREER Award in 2020, being named a Moore Inventor Fellow by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, a Top Innovator by MIT Tech Review (MIT TR35, )and a leading young scientist by the World Economic Forum in 2018. In 2017, she was named by Forbes Magazine on their “30under30” list for her work in atom-by-atom quantum engineering, that is, designing materials at the smallest scale, using single atoms, to enable the leap to quantum technologies. Dr. Narang has held leadership roles in a DOE EFRC ‘Photonics at Thermodynamic Limits’, DOE NQI Quantum Science Center, and the NSF ERC ‘Center for Quantum Networks’, among others. Her continued service to the science community includes chairing the Gordon Conference on Ultrafast and Cooperative Phenomena, Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting (2022) and the MRS-Kavli Foundation Future of Materials Workshop: Computational Materials Science (2021), organizing APS, Optica (OSA), and SPIE symposia, and a leadership role in APS’ Division of Materials Physics. Narang is an Associate Editor at ACS Nano of the American Chemical Society, an Associate Editor at Applied Physics Letters of the American Institute of Physics, and the Editorial Advisory Boards of Nano Letters and Advanced Photonics. Dr. Narang is also the founder and Chief Technology Officer of Aliro, a VC-backed US quantum network company. At Aliro, she spearheads the effort in quantum information, towards commercializing scalable quantum networks.

Episode82In Episode 82, Patrick and Ciprian celebrate three years of Entangled Things.The team discusses different modalities, shifting perspectives, and the importance of the algorithms. 

In Episode 81, Patrick and Ciprian speak with returning guest Garland Garris of Accenture Federal Services, and first time guest Rima Oueid of the United States Department of Energy.The team discusses Quantum Computing in space, international development interest, and complimentary technologies to push development timelines.As Accenture Federal Services Quantum Security Lead, Garland Garris, provides Insider Threat, Law Enforcement, Intelligence, cybersecurity expertise and leadership to help guide the company’s cybersecurity business initiatives. Garland is the former Senior Leader responsible for cybersecurity for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), one of the founders of the FBI’s Insider Threat Center and provisioned implementation of multiple data science, investigative and analytic systems. An expert in Insider Threat Programs, Data Analytics, Cyber defense and operational programs, Garris brings 29 years of professional experience, 15 of which were served within national security agencies.Rima Kasia Oueid is a Senior Commercialization Executive at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions, where she leads market development activities and commercialization of emerging DOE technologies with a focus on quantum information science, transportation, grid modernization, and space-based applications. She builds public private partnerships, identifies use cases, and develops innovative business models to accelerate market adoption and bankability of quantum computing, quantum communications/security, quantum sensing, artificial intelligence, microgrids, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies. Rima is the architect and lead of the DOE V2X Partnership with major OEMs, utilities, and bidirectional charging companies.  She is also a DOE representative on the board of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QEDC), serves as the chair of QEDCs Use Case Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Quantum Sensing, and a member of the Quantum Computing and Quantum Networking/Communications TACs.

In Episode 80, Patrick speaks with Sayon Chanda, Senior Scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), one of US Department of Energy's leading federal research laboratories in Denver Colorado.The team discusses the NISQ era of Quantum Computing, the complexities of current electric utility configurations, and how electric utilities can prepare for a post quantum future. Learn more: https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/quantum-computers-can-now-interface-with-power-grid-equipment.htmlSayonsom Chanda is a senior scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Boulder, Colorado. He works in the intersection of advanced computing technologies and the electric power grid. For last seven years, he has worked extensively in implementation of AI technology for electric utilities in North America. Recently, his work on interfacing quantum computers and power grid simulators for developing industrial applications of quantum computing for solving the complex challenges of our times - including energy insecurity and climate change. Prior to joining NREL, Dr. Chanda was a Senior Data Scientist at National Grid in New York and an electrical engineer at Idaho National Laboratory. He is also the co-founder of two tech start-up companies where he helped them raise venture capital and develop commercial solutions for the utility industry. Over a dozen prominent conferences in the United States and abroad have invited him to speak on AI applications in the Energy industry, including a TEDX talk in 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University, has published more than 18 articles in journals with a high impact factor and holds three patents in cloud computing for power systems. He is also the author of a book “Resiliency of Electricity Distribution Systems," published by Wiley in the United Kingdom.

In Episode 79, Patrick and Ciprian talk about Post-Quantum Encryption.A fascinating discussion about asymmetric encryption, NIST post-quantum cryptography standardization, and CRYSTALS - the Cryptographic Suite for Algebraic Lattices.

In Episode 78, Patrick and Ciprian speak with returning guest Diana Franklin of the University of Chicago.A fascinating episode where the team discusses gamification of educational concepts through Quander, entanglement, superposition, and the advantages of reframing ideas for Quantum native students.Diana Franklin is an Associate Professor in Computer Science at the University of Chicago. When she received her Ph.D. at UC Davis, 2002, her research focus was computer architecture, especially new technologies. She has done research in intelligent memories, memristors, and quantum computers. In 2008, she began her transition to computer science education research. She now leads the CANON (Computing for ANyONe) Lab, specializing in both 3rd-8th grade computer science interventions and quantum computing education for novices of any age with a particular focus towards moving towards more equitable learning experiences. She is currently the co-lead of the Q-12 Partnership, a new initiative by the Office of Science and Technology Programs, the National Science Foundation, industry, and professional organizations to bootstrap K-12 quantum information science education. In addition, she serves on the CRA (Computing Research Association) Board and is the author of "A Practical Guide to Gender Diversity for CS Faculty," from Morgan Claypool. 

In Episode 77, Patrick and Ciprian meet to revisit old topics with new insights.The team discuss the broad question of, What is Quantum Computing, applications in chemistry, and the search for the right modality.

In this special off-cycle release of Episode 76, Patrick and Ciprian speak with returning guest Yuval Boger (QuEra), and first time guests Harry Zhou (QuEra and Harvard) and Dolev Bluvstein (Harvard).The team discusses a historical announcement regarding groundbreaking advancements in Quantum Error Correction utilizing transversal gates to create the first logical Quantum processor.QuEra also announced a special event on Jan 9th at 11:30 AM ET, where QuEra will reveal its commercial roadmap for fault-tolerant quantum computers. Register for this online event at:   https://quera.link/roadmap. Yuval Boger is the CMO of QuEra, the leader in neutral atom quantum computers. In his career, he has served as CEO and CMO of frontier-tech companies in markets including quantum computing software, wireless power, and virtual reality. His "Superposition Guy's Podcast" hosts CEOs and other thought leaders in quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications to discuss business and technical aspects that impact the quantum ecosystem.Hengyun (Harry) Zhou is a research scientist at QuEra Computing and Harvard University. His PhD work from Prof. Mikhail Lukin’s group at Harvard made key contributions to quantum sensing and quantum many-body physics and was recognized as a finalist for the American Physical Society’s (APS) Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) thesis prize. His recent work focuses on novel quantum error correction schemes for neutral atom quantum computers, with the promise to drastically reduce the requirements for building large-scale quantum computers.Dolev Bluvstein is an experimental physics PhD student working in Prof Mikhail Lukin's lab at Harvard and a recipient of the Hertz Fellowship. He is the lead-author of the original work on programming quantum circuits with the motion of neutral atoms as well as the recent work realizing error-corrected quantum circuits on many logical qubits.

In Episode 75, Patrick and Ciprian speak with Yuval Boger, Chief Marketing Officer at QuEra. This is a fascinating discussion about room temperature Neutral Atom technology, collaborations with educational institutions, and the emergence of national Quantum Computing programs.Yuval Boger is the CMO of QuEra, the leader in neutral atom quantum computers. In his career, he has served as CEO and CMO of frontier-tech companies in markets including quantum computing software, wireless power, and virtual reality. His "Superposition Guy's Podcast" hosts CEOs and other thought leaders in quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum communications to discuss business and technical aspects that impact the quantum ecosystem.