Quantum Science for Everyone: IQST at the Final Evening of “Physik – Die Wissen schafft”
On Monday, July 7, the Department of Physics at the University of Stuttgart concluded its public lecture series “Physik – Die Wissen schafft” with a well-attended and engaging evening focused on quantum technologies — proudly supported by IQST.
The event featured a public lecture by Prof. Dr. Stefanie Barz, Director of IQST and Professor at the Institute for Functional Matter and Quantum Technologies. In her talk, “Licht & Quanten: Von abhörsicherer Kommunikation bis zum Quantencomputer”, she guided the audience through the fascinating potential of quantum physics, from secure communication to the possibilities of quantum computing.
Following the lecture, visitors gathered in the foyer of lecture hall 47.02 for a quantum-themed exhibition and informal get-together. At the IQST booth, members of our community presented selected highlights from current research and chatted with guests over pretzels and drinks.
With over 170 registered participants and an enthusiastic atmosphere, the event marked a lively and memorable close to this successful lecture series — and highlighted the growing public interest in quantum science.
IQST Visit to the IBM Quantum Data Center in Ehningen
On July 10, 2025, a group of 40 IQST students and researchers had the unique opportunity to visit the IBM Quantum Data Center in Ehningen. The full-day event provided an in-depth look into IBM’s quantum computing activities and infrastructure, offering participants the chance to engage directly with experts from the IBM Quantum team.
The visit featured a series of technical presentations covering a range of topics including superconducting qubits, error correction and mitigation, hardware and software infrastructure, and near-term quantum algorithms. A highlight of the day was a live virtual session with IBM researchers from Zurich, contributing to the international scope of the discussions.
In addition to the scientific program, the group was introduced to IBM’s broader quantum roadmap and had the chance to network with members of the team. Throughout the day, participants also enjoyed informal discussions over refreshments provided on site.
The event was a valuable occasion to explore cutting-edge developments in the field and foster stronger connections between academic research and industrial innovation.
Lecture Series: “Physik – Die Wissen schafft” – Second Event Highlights
On June 5th, the second lecture of the public series “Physik – Die Wissen schafft” took place at the University of Stuttgart. Prof. Jörg Wrachtrup gave an engaging and accessible presentation titled “Genauer geht’s nicht! Wie Quantensensoren die Welt neu vermessen”, exploring how quantum sensors are revolutionizing our ability to measure and understand the world with unprecedented precision.
As with the first event, the evening featured a lively exhibition in the foyer of lecture hall 47.02. Visitors had the opportunity to interact with hands-on demonstrations and learn more about the latest developments in quantum science and technology. The event concluded with a relaxed reception over pretzels and drinks sponsored by IQST, providing a great space for informal exchange between scientists and the public.
We warmly thank all contributors and visitors for making this evening another successful step in our outreach journey.
Save the date: The third and final event of the series will take place on July 7th, once again in the same exciting format. A new, expanded exhibition will showcase even more partners and topics — from quantum networks and computing to cutting-edge sensor technology. Don’t miss it!
We warmly invite artists to apply for an exciting interdisciplinary exhibition at the Stadthaus Ulm!
“Quantum and Art in Ulm” is a unique project that bridges the worlds of science and art, offering you the chance to explore and interpret fascinating themes from quantum physics through your own creative and artistic expression.
Through engaging conversations with leading physicists and exclusive laboratory visits, you’ll gain deep insights into cutting-edge research, inspiring your artistic work.
Join this vibrant and innovative dialogue, and share your artistic perspective on the intriguing world of quantum physics with a broad audience!
The application deadline is June 15, 2025. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be part of an inspiring collaboration!
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!
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.
We are happy to announce the upcoming IQST Day 2025, which will take place on February 12, 2025 at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research.
We are looking forward to insightful talks as well as vivid discussions during the poster sessions.
The schedule for IQST Day 2025 can be found below:
- Begin at 09:30 - Session 1: 09:30 — 09:45: Welcome
Bettina Lotsch (MPI-FKF)
IQST directors: Stefanie Barz, Fedor Jelezko
Peter Middendorf, Rector University of Stuttgart
Oliver Kraft, Vice President KIT
Joachim Ankerhold, Vice President Uni Ulm
Session 2: IQST and BW — chair: Sebastian Loth
11:30 — 11:50: Markus Oberthaler (Heidelberg) — Quantum Field Simulators – from Cosmology to
Supersolidity
11:50 — 12:10: Anja Metelmann (KIT) — Nonlinearity as a resource – or a tale of sharks and cats
12:10 — 12:30: Kai Bongs (Ulm, DLR) — Quantum Technologies in Space
12:30 — 12:50: Rüdiger Quay (Freiburg) — Materials and Devices for Quantum Sensing and Quantum
Computing
- 12:50 — 14:15: Lunch Break & Posters -
Session 3 — chair: Fedor Jelezko
14:15 — 15:10: Keynote Talk: Alex Retzker (Hebrew University) — Erasure detection with superconducting qubits
15:10 — 15:30: Laetitia Farinacci (Stuttgart) — Insights into magnetic bound states in superconductors
15:30 — 15:50: Stephan Welte (Stuttgart) — A multi-qubit quantum network node for quantum communication and computation
15:50 — 16:15: Coffee Break
Session 4: Chemistry and Materials at IQST — chair: Anke Krueger
16:15 — 16:35: Simon Krause (MPI-FKF/Ulm) — From Molecule to Material — Functional molecular
frameworks as soft porous crystals and quantum platforms
16:35 — 16:55: Anna Roslawska (MPI-FKF) — Optics with sub-nm precision
16:55 — 17:15: Lorenzo Tesi (Stuttgart) — Molecular Spin Qubits: Harnessing Chemistry Versatility for Quantum Technologies
17:15 — 17:35: Peter Roesky (KIT) — Magnetic Sandwich Compounds
