CQT’s Loh Huanqian a global thought-leader on quantum computing

CQT's Loh Huanqian (standing centre right, in blue top) is pictured with members of the Global Futures Council on Quantum Computing. Image: World Economic Forum

In 2019, the World Economic Forum invited CQT Principal Investigator Loh Huanqian to join its Global Future Council on Quantum Computing. She met with the international group of thought-leaders for the first time 3-4 November 2019 in Dubai.

Huanqian leads an experimental team aiming to use ultracold molecules like lego blocks to build quantum simulations of materials. She holds joint appointments as NUS President’s Assistant Professor and National Research Foundation Fellow (class of 2018). Her first involvement with the Forum was in July when she spoke at a hub session at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China on the future of computing.

According to its website, “The World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils are the world’s foremost interdisciplinary knowledge network dedicated to promoting innovative thinking to shape a sustainable and inclusive future for all. The network convenes more than 700 of the most relevant and knowledgeable thought leaders from academia, government, business and civil society, grouped in expertise-based, thematic councils.”

The Council on Quantum Computing has 26 members from around the world, from both academic and commercial backgrounds. They came together at the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils in November to discuss how the status of quantum computing can be presented without hype to agenda-setters, including for the the World Economic Forum’s Davos 2020 meeting in January.

"It was eye-opening how a curated team of people from diverse backgrounds can make things happen." says Huanqian, who explains that council members all have goals and responsibilities for the year ahead. Her appointment to the Council is for one year.