Global

International Year of Quantum Science and Technology Kickoff

When

Location

Event type

Upcoming
January

Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, Dr. Ralf Heckner, will host the the kickoff event of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ), in Washington D.C. This inclusive celebration will be hosted at the Swiss Residence in Washington on Wednesday February 5, 2025, simultaneously with the UNESCO launch in Paris.

On this special occasion, a diverse group of 30 participants comprised of foreign diplomats, U.S. government officials, scientists, and industry representatives will play the Quantum Diplomacy Game. Washington D.C is the first stop of this unique anticipatory game designed by the Open Quantum Institute at CERN and will be activated in different parts of the world on the occasion of the IYQ 2025.

The 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) recognizes 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics.

Agenda

  • 3:00pm – The Quantum Diplomacy Game
  • 5:30pm – Moderated debriefing and key learnings
  • 6:00pm – Flash remarks
  • 6:30pm – Networking reception
Add to Google calendar
iCal / Outlook

Event start time

  • New York

    3:00PM

  • Boston

    3:00PM

Speakers

  •

    Bio

    Catherine Lefebvre

    Senior Advisor, Open Quantum Institute at CERN

    Catherine Lefebvre is Senior Advisor to the Open Quantum Institute, an initiative of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA). Prior to this, Lefebvre has served in multiple roles, including as U.S. and Canada Innovation Ambassador for quantum technology company M Squared; advisor in quantum technologies at Quebec Ministry of Economy and Innovation; and as Science Liaison Officer for Element AI (acquired by ServiceNow), a global developer of AI solutions. Lefebvre has a background in research with a Ph.D. in molecular physics and quantum chemistry with training in science diplomacy.

  •

    Bio

    Kate Weber

    Head of Governance and External Affairs, Google Quantum AI

    Kate leads governance, including internal governance and government relations and policy, for Google’s quantum computing team, Google Quantum AI. Previously, she led global public policy for emerging technologies (including quantum computing) at Google. Her career has focused on the intersection of science, technology, and policy; prior to Google, she led a team at the US Department of State covering bilateral and multilateral engagement on chemicals management, air quality, and waste management, where she was also an American Association for the Advancement of Science S&T policy fellow. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Cambridge where she was a Marshall Scholar, and a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Richmond.

Partners

This event is organized by the Science Office of the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, with the participation of Swissnex, GESDA, and the Open Quantum Institute.