For more than ten years, Pint of Science has been bringing scientists to local pubs to introduce their research to a non-specialist audience - worldwide and simultaneously in over 450 cities. The MQV took the quantum year 2025 as an opportunity to organize a quantum special together with Pint of Science: our own quantum pub! From 19 to 21 May, scientists from the MQV network took the audience on an exciting and insightful journey through various areas of quantum science and technology. From different approaches to building quantum computer hardware to developing quantum software, from simulating new materials to microscopy for the tiniest structures.
That quantum technologies and Bräustüberl go well together was demonstrated by Prof. Andreas Stute, who “entangled” a light and a dark beer right at the beginning of his lecture “Alles Quantum? From the essence of quantum mechanics to groundbreaking technologies”. Or at least used the drinks to explain the quantum mechanical phenomenon of entanglement. Lukas Burgholzer also found astonishing analogies between brewing beer and compiling quantum algorithms in his lecture on the development of software for quantum computers. Emily Wright, on the other hand, gave an insight into superconducting quantum computer hardware “from an engineer's perspective”, as the title of the talk put it. “I hope I was able to show that a quantum computer is a real, physical thing and not a mystery,” she concluded her lecture. The quantum chip from the Walther Meissner Institute, where the young scientist is currently doing her doctorate, served as the perfect illustrative material to show the fine qubit structures on it.
Quantum technologies that go beyond computing were also presented and discussed in a convivial pub atmosphere. Tim Harris works on the quantum simulation of complex materials and explained how he recreates models of them atom by atom. In her lecture on MRI microscopy, Julia Draeger explained how the smallest structures can be made visible using quantum sensors. Equipped with a small experimental set-up and luminescent liquids, she shared her enthusiasm for her research with everyone present.
The fact that all three evenings were completely sold out showed just how well the quantum topic, which often seems so complicated from the outside, was received by the audience. The large number of extremely interested, exciting and sometimes in-depth questions about the individual technologies also testified to this. The speakers also clearly enjoyed the unusual venue and the relaxed atmosphere, in which discussions could continue in smaller groups over a beer after the presentation.
Missed the event? We are offering many more exciting events for the public in the quantum year! You can find an overview here.