CQT hosts Singapore Deputy Prime Minster Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean

DPM Heng Swee Keat (left) and SM Teo (centre) viewed quantum labs at CQT, including the apparatus built by Loh Huanqian (right) and her team to control neutral atoms for quantum computation and simulation.

The Centre for Quantum Technologies was honoured to host Singapore Deputy Prime Minster and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Mr Heng Swee Keat and Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo Chee Hean, on 20 June.

The two ministers joined a programme of lab tours and discussions at CQT with a delegation of senior representatives from the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF) and the National Quantum Office (NQO) hosted at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

The visit was led from CQT by Governing Board Chairman Low Teck Seng, who is also Professor and Senior Vice President (Sustainability and Resilience) at NUS and Co-Chair, National Quantum Steering Committee, together with CQT Deputy Director Valerio Scarani and Principal Investigator Alexander Ling, who also serves as Chief Scientific Officer for NQO.

The Ministers were joined by a delegation in their visit to CQT. Pictured are some of the party. From left: Prof Valerio Scarani, CQT Deputy Director, NUS; Mr Quek Gim Pew, Co-Chair, National Quantum Steering Committee, Senior R&D Consultant, MINDEF; Mr Beh Kian Teik, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NRF; Prof Low Teck Seng, Chairman, CQT Governing Board, Co-Chair, National Quantum Steering Committee and Senior Vice President (Sustainability & Resilience), NUS; Deputy Prime Minster Heng Swee Keat; A/Prof Alexander Ling, NQO Chief Scientific Officer and CQT Principal Investigator, NUS; Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean; Ms Tan Pei Shan, Executive Director (Policy & Planning), NRF; Prof Tan Sze Wee, Assistant Chief Executive, Innovation & Enterprise, A*STAR and Prof Yeo Yee Chia, Assistant Chief Executive, Innovation & Enterprise (Designate), A*STAR.

DPM Heng and SM Teo went to three CQT laboratories, each working on a different platform for quantum computing. CQT Principal Investigator Yvonne Gao introduced her group’s approach to superconducting qubits, Manas Mukherjee and his team explained how they trap ions to act as qubits, and Loh Huanqian described how neutral atoms are a promising technology for building bigger quantum computers than available today.

Quantum computers have the potential to perform calculations that exceed the capabilities of today’s most powerful supercomputers, but there remain challenges in building scalable and reliable hardware. Across academia and industry, there is no consensus yet on which platform or platforms will ultimately perform best.

Both Ministers have taken a close interest in quantum technologies. Earlier in June, DPM Heng announced the launch of the National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (NQSN+), during Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG), the region’s most influential technology event. The NQSN+ is led by the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

In his speech, DPM Heng said “An important emerging platform is quantum technologies. Quantum computers carry the promise of unlocking unprecedented advancements in computing power. This in turn could rapidly accelerate advances in AI and machine learning. At the same time, they also present the risk of breaking the encryption algorithms we rely on today to secure our data and communications. Governments around the world have stepped up their quantum efforts, to capitalise on its immense economic potential while simultaneously safeguard against the risks.”

DPM Heng, who is also Chairman of the NRF Board, previously held a virtual engagement session with CQT in 2021 while SM Teo visited the Centre in 2017.

After touring the labs on this visit, the Ministers joined attending guests to hear about CQT’s achievements in research, progress in training people and advancing technology, as well as its ambitions for the future. Representatives from the National Quantum Office also shared updates on the planning underway for Singapore’s national quantum strategy.