Entrepreneurs at companies like Slack and Hootsuite have put Vancouver’s $23 billion high tech industry on the map. But building the economy of tomorrow—not to mention a utopian, Star Trek future—means taking a step beyond the digital. We need fundamental leaps in computing power, clean energy, and smart materials.
Now a new set of innovators and disruptors are setting up shop in Vancouver, looking to harness the extremes of physics to build tomorrow’s technologies.
Join us as we chat with leaders at Vancouver quantum computing start-up D-Wave, magnetized target fusion pioneer GeneralFusion, and UBC’s world-renowned Quantum Matter Institute. These local, award-winning teams are on the long path in pursuit of game-changing solutions—warpdrive, transporters and holo-decks might be closer than we think.
This event took place on February 3, Wednesday 2016, 6:30-9:00pm at Roundhouse Community Arts Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver BC.
Moderator
Lisa Johnson
Lisa Johnson is a reporter for CBC News in Vancouver. She specializes in science and environment stories, from E. coli and isotopes to carbon offsets and killer whales. As a general assignment news reporter, she’s also covered kidnappings, earthquakes, and has won a RTDNA award for her live reports from the Stanley Cup Riot.
Before she became a storyteller, Lisa thought she was going to be a scientist. She graduated from UBC with an Honours degree in biology after pipetting stickleback DNA, counting kelp, and watching fish mating dances.
She returned to UBC for her master’s in journalism, focusing on science and risk communications. She still takes interest in things that many journalists hate, including animal carcasses and math.
Panelists
Vern Brownell
President and CEO
D-Wave
Burnaby-headquartered D-Wave is a world leader in superconducting quantum computers—computers that hold the potential to solve some of the world’s more difficult problems. Its systems are being used by Lockheed-Martin, Google and NASA. Co-founded by UBC alumni Geordie Rose, D-Wave has been granted over 110 US patents.
Dr. Michel Laberge
Founder, President and Chief Scientist
General Fusion Inc.
Founded by UBC graduate Michel Laberge, GeneralFusion has emerged as a global leader in magnetized target fusion. The Vancouver company is working to develop a reactor that compresses magnetically-confined plasma to fusion conditions—in pursuit of clean, cheap energy.
Dr. Jenny Hoffman
Professor, Physics & Astronomy-UBC
UBC Quantum Matter Institute
Researchers at UBC’s QMI are pushing the boundaries of materials research, investigating the fundamental mysteries of super conduction, nano-structures, magnetism, and even more exotic phenomena. Questions being asked at the QMI hold the potential to revolutionize electronics, telecommunications, energy, and next-generation computing.
Dr. Jonathan Bagger
Director
TRIUMF
TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics and accelerator-based science. It brings together technical, engineering, and administrative staff; university researchers and students; private-sector collaborators and licensees; international collaborators; and publicly funded agencies supporting basic research in Canada’s interests. TRIUMF connects Canada to the global science and technology community, and as a bridge between the academic and private sectors, drives Canada’s innovation engine with collaborative and joint projects. TRIUMF’s mission is: To make discoveries that address the most compelling questions in particle physics, nuclear physics, nuclear medicine, and materials science; to act as Canada’s steward for the advancement of particle accelerators and detection technologies; and to transfer knowledge, train highly skilled personnel, and commercialize research for the economic, social, environmental, and health benefit of all Canadians.
Select Articles and Books Available at UBC Library
Haroche, S., DOAB: Directory of Open Access Books, & OpenEdition Books. (2013). Quantum physics. Paris: Collège de France. [Link]
Scheck, F., ebrary eBooks, & SpringerLink ebooks – Physics and Astronomy. (2007). Quantum physics. Berlin: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-49972-5 [Link]
UBC Library Research Guides