NQCC’s Visionary Path to Innovation Supremacy
Leading the UK’s quantum efforts is the National Quantum Computing Center (NQCC), and at the forefront of this transformative journey is Sonali Mohapatra, the NQCC’s quantum innovation sector lead, whose understanding of the industry and the Center’s pivotal role in propelling quantum adoption across industries was recently up for discussion during an interview at the AI Summit London 2024.
In her pivotal position, Mohapatra first discussed the NQCC’s multifaceted approach.
“We work with various different stakeholders within the quantum computing ecosystem to stimulate the ecosystem and nurture the ecosystem,” she said. This collaborative ethos extends beyond mere research, as she went further into: “We look at how we can support industry in the discovery of novel quantum computing use cases and then support that journey to integrate quantum within business processes.”
Mohapatra’s expertise sheds light on the transformative potential of quantum computing, particularly in the realm of healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
“Quantum computers, as you might have heard, are quantum systems, so they’re really good at simulating nature, which is again has quantum mechanical properties at the very small scale,” she explained. This capability holds profound implications for drug discovery and personalized medicine. “In order to simulate molecules which are let’s say personalized treatments for a particular person rather than having it as an average treatment for various different demographics in society,” she added.
Beyond healthcare, quantum’s impact extends to the realm of cybersecurity and data privacy, areas of paramount concern in today’s digital landscape. Mohapatra said that quantum computers will excel at cryptography, necessitating upgrades to current classical cryptographic systems to ensure resilience. She also stressed that quantum technology offers opportunities for safeguarding sensitive information through techniques such as “quantum-enabled federated machine learning,” which allows researchers worldwide to upload data while the aggregate analysis prevents the leakage of private, sensitive information.
As the NQCC navigates this uncharted territory, Mohapatra recognizes the need for a diverse and skilled workforce.
“We really need people from very different backgrounds, very diverse backgrounds,” she asserted, highlighting the array of roles available, from engineering and project management to communications and public engagement. This inclusive approach aims to demystify quantum computing, ensuring “we’re not adding to the hype that’s around quantum,” while acknowledging the realistic timelines: “We are still around 5 to 10 years away from being able to tackle those huge challenges.”
For businesses eager to explore quantum’s potential, the NQCC offers a comprehensive support system through its flagship Spark program.
“Under that, we do fund various different kinds of R&D projects,” Mohapatra explained. “We also are able to match application engineer expertise to businesses who might be looking to start building up that technical knowledge within their team in quantum.” This hands-on approach empowers organizations to “start experimenting and understanding how quantum is going to be beneficial to their business.”
The NQCC’s unwavering commitment to advancing the quantum frontier has garnered widespread acclaim, with The Quantum Insider serving as a dedicated chronicler of their achievements. Through Mohapatra’s guidance, the Center is well on its way for a future where quantum is important. A future where, innovation and the development of the talents that will shape the next technological revolution will be important.
The NQCC’s visionary leadership in people like Mohapatra’s clearly makes the UK as a global quantum strongman, one with muscles to unlock exciting opportunities across sectors and redefining the boundaries of what is possible.