This month, I have the privilege of traveling to Paris, France, along with Optica colleagues and many others from the optics and photonics community, to take part in the launch ceremony of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). Designated by UNESCO, this year-long celebration will put a spotlight on the importance and contributions of quantum science—both to fundamental research that advances our understanding of the field and to practical applications we’re already using in our daily lives.
A major goal of this effort, as outlined in the January 2025 OPN feature article “The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology,” is broad scientific outreach. IYQ is intended to engage people ranging from professional scientists to policymakers to workers in adjacent industries to primary school students and everyone in between. It’s important that we take advantage of the platform that UNESCO provides and make a concerted effort to communicate the impact of quantum science and technology to a variety of audiences, some of whom will become the next generation of quantum researchers.
This aim highlights the role that such celebrations can play not only in sparking interest in our field but in building public trust in science. As scientists, we don’t operate in a vacuum—the support of the public is crucial in ensuring the growth and development of our community. Throughout the year, we hope to use IYQ as a vehicle to connect with people around the world, and in doing so, to garner support for funding and implementation of groundbreaking quantum research and technologies for the benefit of society as a whole.
To that end, Optica is planning a series of special events. We’ll be hosting distinguished lecturers to give talks on quantum topics at Optica’s Biophotonics Congress (20 to 24 April), Quantum 2.0 (1 to 5 June), Sensing Congress (20 to 24 July) and Frontiers in Optics (FiO, 27 to 30 October). FiO will also have a quantum theme focused on early-career quantum researchers.
At the Sensing Congress, Biophotonics Congress and FiO, we’ll be organizing one-day “Demystifying Quantum” courses. These are meant to enable researchers in adjacent fields to gain a level of fluency in and familiarity with quantum science and to facilitate collaborations with quantum researchers developing transformative technologies that could be applied in other fields. (As an aside, there are lots of good books to recommend to your colleagues and family to help with the demystifying process. My current favorite is How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel. I highly recommend it as an entertaining introduction to what all the excitement is about.)
We also plan to highlight quantum-related research in a variety of Optica Publishing Group publications, as well as in a series of articles here in OPN. At its heart, IYQ is a community celebration, and I’m excited to see the creative and enlightening activities planned by groups and individuals from across the globe. To join in (or plan you own event), visit the events and resources page on the IYQ website.
I wish all of you a happy International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, and I look forward to starting the celebration.
—Jim Kafka,
Optica President