Sebastian’s story
Creating the right teaching environment makes an enormous difference to students’ education.”Sebastian Weidt
Professor of Quantum Computing and Entrepreneurship
Co-founder and CEO of quantum computing company Universal Quantum
‘From understanding climate change, to creating new materials, and to accelerating artificial intelligence (AI), it’s no exaggeration that quantum technology is going to affect most of humanity in the not-too-distant future.
At Sussex, we started to teach an MPhys in quantum technology because we recognised the need to build a workforce with knowledge in this area, and to educate those already working industry to get ‘quantum ready’. Quantum technologies are being developed all over the world because every country is going to need that knowledge and expertise.
For our students, being able to get involved with the research projects of our leading academics – in quantum or in other areas, such as particle physics or astronomy – is a fantastic experience. They get to do practical laboratory research and can develop their interests in whichever area of physics interests them most.
Creating the right teaching environment makes an enormous difference to students’ education – I know, because I was not engaged with learning school until I had a teacher who cared and who was passionate about their subject.
It was never my plan to become a professor of physics. I originally came to Sussex to do a foundation degree and continued to study physics with management. I returned later to do a PhD – with a view that it would give me a competitive edge in business – and got really excited about quantum. It’s weird – for example, we don’t fully understand how anatomic particle can be in two different places at the same time, but we know how to turn these strange phenomena of the quantum world into new technologies that are far reaching and will change our world.
Through a company set up by myself and colleagues – Universal Quantum – we are building a large-scale quantum computer that will be able to make calculations that are far beyond the capability of conventional computers. Although we bring in external experts in engineering and software, this all started with Sussex research.’
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