Quantum revolution begins: Berlin becomes a center for future technologies!

Quantum revolution begins: Berlin becomes a center for future technologies!

Dr. Ryan Sweke, a renowned quantum physicist, was recently appointed to the German Research Chair at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Cape Town, South Africa. This important award was presented by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation as part of its research chair programs. Sweke, who also works as a Humboldt Fellow at the Free University of Berlin, will take up his new position in January 2025. His research interests lie in the areas of quantum computing, quantum information and quantum machine learning (QML).

Sweke received his doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where his dissertation dealt with quantum algorithmic simulation of open quantum systems. He was previously employed as a Humboldt postdoctoral fellow and later as a senior postdoc at the Free University of Berlin until 2022. In the following two years he worked at IBM Quantum in California, where he deepened his expertise.

Promotion and cooperation

Sweke's return to Berlin is supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The research cooperation between AIMS and the Free University of Berlin is intended to develop sustainable research initiatives and strengthen the bridge between European and African research centers. The importance of this cooperation for the international visibility of the Humboldt Initiative is particularly emphasized.

Sweke will work closely with Prof. Jens Eisert from the Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems to lead innovative research projects on quantum algorithms and QML. The important projects initiated in this cooperation include the MATH+ Cluster of Excellence, the Berlin Quantum initiative and the DFG priority program CRC 183, all of which aim to develop new technologies for the digital future.

Humboldt Professorship for Andreas Winter

Another significant development in quantum research is the appointment of Andreas Winter to the Humboldt Professorship at the University of Cologne. On May 5, 2025, he received this prestigious prize, which is worth five million euros and is considered one of the most highly endowed research prizes in Germany. Winter took up his position for “Quantum Information and Computing” on April 1, 2025 and plans to found an international center for quantum information theory in Cologne.

Winter brings extensive experience from his previous teaching positions at the Universities of Bristol and Barcelona. He is known for his contributions to quantum Shannon theory, which questions the limits of modern information technologies. The University of Cologne is also striving for close collaboration with the ML4Q Cluster of Excellence “Matter and Light for Quantum Information” in order to advance developments in quantum computing.

International initiative and celebrations

In January 2025, the Humboldt University of Berlin will usher in an international year of quantum science and technology. The opening event will take place on January 14, 2025 and promises a lot of attention with a lecture by Nobel Prize winner Wolfgang Ketterle on the social value of quantum sciences as well as a panel discussion on the future challenges of quantum physics. In Berlin, more than ten working groups are conducting research in the field of quantum physics, with a particular focus on quantum optics.

The “Berlin Quantum” initiative aims to establish the city as an international center for quantum technologies and, among other things, offers a co-working space for quantum researchers in Berlin-Adlershof, known as Leap. Interest in the opening event is already high and places are available on site at short notice, while the event can also be followed via livestream on YouTube.

These developments illustrate how dynamic and forward-looking quantum research is in Germany and how important international collaborations are for progress in this innovative scientific area.