Suffolk Reporter

The quantum community reconvened in late February to assess advancements and future possibilities for quantum technology. The Quantum Networks Town Hall and Domestic Cooperation Workshop took place on February 27 and 28 at the SUNY Global Center in Manhattan. This event is part of Stony Brook University's collaboration with Columbia University, Yale University, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Eden Figueroa, Stony Brook Presidential Innovation Endowed Professor, explained that the event aimed to coordinate a federated quantum network infrastructure. "This Town Hall meeting brought together our community to foster open scientific dialogue," he said. The workshop included 93 participants from 45 organizations worldwide.

The first day featured presentations from international experts in the quantum field, followed by a Quantum Virtual Laboratory led by Figueroa and a student poster session. On the second day, NIST led discussions on various aspects of quantum networks, concluding with a panel on industry collaboration.

Nina Maung emphasized the importance of partnerships in advancing quantum internet technology. "Stony Brook is primed to be a national leader in this revolutionary field," she stated.

Figueroa highlighted the potential of quantum networks for enhancing communication security and efficiency. He noted that using photons instead of pulses could alleviate current internet bottlenecks. "Quantum technology will help us take it to the next level," he added.

The initiative, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to develop a wide-area quantum network connecting major institutions via SCY-QNet.