Successful Kick-off of the Public Lecture Series: “Physik, die Wissen schafft”
The first event of this year’s public lecture series “Physik, die Wissen schafft”, organized by the University of Stuttgart, took place on Monday, May 12 — and drew a fantastic crowd. Over 250 people attended the lecture — nearly double the number of registered participants.
Prof. Tilman Pfau, IQST Fellow and Director at the 5th Institute of Physics, delivered an engaging and insightful talk titled “Können Atome rechnen?” (Can Atoms Calculate?).
Alongside the lecture, IQST contributed with an exhibition booth, offering hands-on demos, posters, and even VR experiences. Visitors had the chance to interact with researchers and explore current developments in quantum science and technology in a lively and informal setting.
To round off the evening, IQST sponsored Brezeln and soft drinks, providing a relaxed atmosphere for conversation and networking.
We’re already looking forward to the next event in the series!
IQST PhD retreat 2025 – Science, Skills, and the Allgäu Alps
This year’s IQST PhD Retreat brought together around 50 early-stage researchers from across the IQST community for three days of learning, discussion, and networking in the stunning alpine surroundings of Söllerhaus in Kleinwalsertal, Austria.
The retreat offered a rich mix of scientific and professional development opportunities. Participants, who come from a wide range of disciplinary and international backgrounds, engaged in poster sessions, interactive workshop-style lectures by invited guests in the field of quantum science, and a soft-skills seminar on career planning after the PhD: “Choose the Right Path for You.”
A highlight of the program was the group hike, providing a relaxed and adventurous setting for informal exchange and community building. The combination of scientific input, career advice, and social activities created an inspiring environment for interdisciplinary networking and collaboration.
Thanks to all participants and speakers who made this retreat a memorable experience!
IQST at the Public Lecture Series “Physik, die Wissen schafft – Quantenjahr 2025”
As part of the University of Stuttgart’s contribution to the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the Department of Physics invites the public to a special lecture series showcasing exciting advances in quantum research.
IQST is proud to take part in this initiative: we will present highlights of our research in a small exhibition area in the foyer of lecture hall 47.02. After each talk, visitors are warmly invited to stay for a relaxed get-together with pretzels and drinks — kindly supported by IQST — and engage directly with scientists from our quantum community.
The presentations will be held in German and are aimed at a broad audience with an interest in science.
Attendance is free, and registration is welcome via the link provided on the event page.
On June 28, the University of Stuttgart opens its doors to curious minds of all ages for the annual Tag der Wissenschaft (Science Day)— a day dedicated to exploring exciting developments in science and technology.
The Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST) will be present with an exhibition space at Pfaffenwaldring 53, promoting an open dialogue between science and society. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating world of quantum science and technology through a series of exhibits presented by the researchers of our community. They will offer a glimpse into cutting-edge quantum technologies and the research behind them.
Discover how quantum phenomena are shaping future technologies and join us in building a society that is not only quantum-ready — but quantum-curious!
IQST Fellows Recognized Among Top 0.05% Scholars Worldwide
We are proud to share that several IQST members have recently been recognized by ScholarGPS, an academic platform that ranks scholars based on their research output and impact.
This recognition places them among the top 0.05% of researchers in their respective fields.
Kick-off for “Art and Quantum” project as part of IYQ 2025
Date of event: April 3, 2025
The 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) comes in many facets, and IQST is actively involved in several of them. In early April, the project “Kunst und Quanten: Quantum2025 in Kunstmuseen” had its kick-off in the Stuttgart area. Aim of the project is communicating aspects of quantum physics and technology towards broad audiences in art museums. The focus is on direct links between “quantum” and “art”, which can include contemporary artists that utilize quantum computing for their work as well as artworks that address fundamental quantum physics concepts such as uncertainty or correlations. Furthermore, there are numerous examples in modern art where quantum-based elements such as lasers, LEDs, or other solid-state light sources are employed.
While the “Kunst und Quanten” project organizes activities throughout Germany and as such is part of the IYQ activities of the German Physical Society (DPG), IQST supported two kick-off events at the University of Stuttgart: around twenty quantum scientists, contemporary artists, and museum experts met in the ZAQuant building for a symposium on the interconnections between quantum science and fine arts. This included a lab tour through state-of-the-art quantum research labs.
In the evening, a public lecture was presented by Franz Gießibl (University of Regensburg), who described how his scientific breakthroughs with atomic force microscopy (AFM) reaching sub-atomic resolution lead to a decades-long exchange with Gerhard Richter, one of the most esteemed painters of our time. This lecture was complemented by a poster presentation dedicated to various aspects related to quantum research, visual arts, and their interaction. Here IQST was well represented, including the IQST-inspired artwork “Yes and no.” by Andreas Tesch.
Scholarships for master’s students in quantum science
The Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology IQST supports talented Master’s students from the universities involved in IQST with a scholarship during their Master’s thesis. All students who will be writing a Master’s thesis in the working group of an IQST Fellow on a topic from the quantum sciences can apply.
The scholarship will be granted for a maximum of 12 months at the maximum BAföG rate applicable at the time of approval.
Please send your application (CV, ½‑page letter of motivation, Abitur certificate, Bachelor’s certificate and transcript of records) as single pdf-document to office@iqst.org by May15th, 2025.
We expressly encourage students from underrepresented groups (e.g. women, teacher training students, students from abroad) to apply.
The scholarship is awarded by the University of Stuttgart.
In your letter of motivation, please emphasize what fascinates you about quantum science in general and your Master’s topic in particular and why you are suitable for the scholarship. Applications that are not submitted in due time and form will not be considered in the selection process. We expressly encourage students from underrepresented groups (e.g. women, teacher training students, students from abroad) to apply.
The award guidelines of the University of Stuttgart from June 21, 2024 apply.
IQST is inviting applications for its Postdoctoral Fellowships. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary research environment at IQST.
We encourage applications that are focused on collaborative and cross-disciplinary research including collaboration with several IQST groups. The programme is focused on attracting applicants from places other than the IQST Fellows institutions.
