France-Singapore collaboration in quantum renewed

The UMI Majulab, a joint research unit, was renewed at a signing ceremony on 23 January. Pictured, from left, are Mr Marc Abensour, Ambassador of France to Singapore; Prof Frédérique Vidal, French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation; Dr Antoine Petit, Chairman and CEO of CNRS, the French National Center for Scientific Research; Prof Ho Teck Hua, NUS Senior Deputy President and Provost; Prof Lai Choy Heng, Deputy Director of CQT, and Prof Christian Miniatura, UMI Majulab Director. Image credit: NUS News

A France-Singapore collaboration in quantum physics and quantum information was renewed for five years on 23 January in the presence of the French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation and the Ambassador of France to Singapore. CQT is a partner in the research operation known as the UMI Majulab which covers topics in quantum information and matter, photonics and materials science.

The MajuLab was established in 2014 as a joint research unit of the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. Known as a UMI, or International Mixed Unit, within the CNRS framework, MajuLab has grown to have around 20 people from local and French institutions.

French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation Professor Frédérique Vidal was in Singapore to launch the France-Singapore Year of Innovation. At a roundtable event at NUS, she said "The Year of Innovation will not only build bridges between Singapore and France’s innovation ecosystems, it will allow us to mutually acknowledge that creativity is the lifeboat of both our societies."

The minister joined a delegation visiting CQT to see research happening in Majulab. The lab's Director is CQT Visiting Research Professsor Christian Miniatura. Other CQT researchers involved in the lab include Berge Englert, who serves as its Deputy Director, Benoit Grémaud, Kwek Leong Chuan, Ng Hui Khoon, Rainer Dumke, Alexander Ling, Manas Mukherjee, David Wilkowski, Rahul Jain, Hartmut Klauck and Troy Lee.

Events organised by the Majulab include a school on 'Quantum Technologies with Light' for graduate students, held in January 2018, and the 'Quantum Engineering Science and Technologies Sympoisum' held in November 2016. Learn more about the lab's activities and research at its website: http://majulab.cnrs.fr/

During a visit to CQT, the delegation learned about the Centre's quantum satellite programme, explained here by CQT Senior Research Fellow Robert Bedington (right). Image credit: NUS News