On Thursday, August 12th, 2021, the CQuERE (Centre for Quantum Engineering, Research and Education) vertical of the recently founded research institute, TCG CREST, Kolkata, and IIT Tirupati, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in an event held online and attended by a number of disctingushed faculty members and researchers from across the globe. The agreement includes a joint doctoral programme between the two institutes, and initiates fruitful research collaborations as well as organizing joint workshops and conferences in areas such as the emerging field of quantum sciences and technologies, which includes but is not limited to quantum computing, communication, sensing, materials and metrology. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field, students from various academic backgrounds including those with Masters degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and engineering physics can apply to the joint PhD programme which will be of five years duration. The event has laid the foundation to bring together researchers from both the institutes to work towards building a thriving quantum ecosystem, which in turn would have a profound impact on our society.
To mark this occasion a special talk was given by Professor Wolfgang Ketterle, Physics Nobel Laureate 2001 and John D. MacArthur Professor of Physics at MIT, USA. In the context of the MoU, Professor Ketterle emphasised the necessity of collaboration between groups at CQuERE and IIT Tirupati to advance important research problems. He also lauded the inclusion of the joint doctoral programme in the MoU as that would give opportunities to students to be part of an important area of research in quantum sciences and technologies. Continuing his talk, Professor Ketterle, remarked that Bose – Einstein condensates, a new form of ultracold matter that he had observed in the laboratory, for which he got the Nobel Prize, have led to studies of ultracold atoms in many new areas of quantum sciences and technologies. It was clear from his talk that these atoms are important candidates for quantum computers and furthermore they have the potential to simulate and elucidate a wide range of physical phenomena that are still not understood.
The Directors of TCG CREST and IIT Tirupati attended the event, and dignitaries including Dr. Purnendu Chatterjee, the founder of TCG CREST, and Shri Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of Education. ‘An auspicious day to be able to collaborate with IIT Tirupati, and look forward to many good things happening, in addition to producing high quality PhD students who can make things happen’, said Dr. Chatterjee during his short speech on TCG CREST’s involvement in the agreement.
To view the event, click here.