Sydney the new hub for Australian quantum research

Sydney Quantum Academy, in partnership with four universities — Macquarie University, UNSW Sydney, the University of Sydney and UTS — has been tasked with creating thousands of high-tech jobs building on the city’s quantum strengths.

Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, the Hon. Stuart Ayres MP said the NSW Government is investing in the infrastructure required to build a world-class technology precinct. This includes investing in support networks for emerging technologies.

“The Academy will keep us at the forefront of quantum technology by developing the future employers, entrepreneurs and the workforce required to sustain the industry’s growth,” Minister Ayres said.

Sydney is already home to a high concentration of quantum research groups, with start-ups like Q-CTRL, government-backed enterprises like Silicon Quantum Computing and global tech giants like Microsoft.

Professor Peter Turner, newly appointed CEO of Sydney Quantum Academy, addressed the Academy’s plans to grow the talent pipeline through education and training programs, industry partnerships and internships. Professor Turner predicts that quantum technologies will fundamentally change areas like computation and sensing, and help to solve problems that cannot be solved with classical information technology.

“The Academy’s unique model means we have the ability and the infrastructure to deliver work-ready graduates and leaders who can help translate quantum research into real-life applications. There are jobs already there with the technology maturing rapidly, but there are many more to come. We need to boost the talent pipeline and anticipate what skills will be required for the future. We can only do this by working closely with industry in Australia and beyond,” Professor Turner said.

Cathy Foley, CSIRO’s Chief Scientist, said the NSW Government’s investment in the Sydney Quantum Academy is an example of the steps that are needed to create and accelerate a quantum ecosystem that will allow Australia to come together behind an industry that can create jobs and prosperity.

“Quantum is an industry that is going to do more than create new products and services — it will also catalyse a broader capability that will be transformational for all industries, similar to the effect of the digital revolution. It is going to allow us to do new things and accelerate our ability to solve challenges that seem unsolvable today,” Dr Foley said.

Dr Foley is a member of the Sydney Quantum Academy’s External Advisory Board, which will help SQA bridge the gap between industry, academia and government. The board has 10 senior representatives from government, international and local start-ups, venture capital and technology firms.

“We’re very fortunate to have these global tech industry and government leaders involved. It demonstrates the significance of what’s happening in the quantum space in Sydney,” Professor Turner said.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/zhu difeng