Latest news with #GordonBellPrize
Techday NZ
23-06-2025
- Science
- Techday NZ
The future of computing is quantum - how Australia can take the lead on its adoption
Quantum computing is not just science fiction. It's a technological revolution unfolding before our very eyes. The State of Australian Quantum Report 2024 predicts that the Australian quantum technology industry will be worth a projected $6 billion and employ 19,400 Australians by 2045. With the help of the National Quantum Strategy, the government's vision is to have Australia recognised as a leader in the global quantum industry in the next five years. With government initiatives, strong academic institutions, and a growing ecosystem of quantum startups, the country is already laying the foundation for a future where quantum computing is central to economic and technological advancement. However, Australia faces a challenging road ahead to becoming the quantum global powerhouse it aspires to be. Australia's quantum landscape Australia has driven significant advancements in quantum innovation in recent years. The most recent notable development is the collaboration with PsiQuantum, a U.S.-based company, which has committed to building the world's first fault-tolerant quantum computer in Brisbane by the end of 2027. The ambitious project has garnered substantial support so far with the Australian and Queensland governments jointly investing approximately $1.2 billion. PsiQuantum also plans to collaborate with local universities and recruit 400 skilled workers by 2032, underscoring the project's potential to transform sectors such as medicine, artificial intelligence, and climate science. Australia has also emerged as a leader in quantum research in recent years. In November 2024, a team from the University of Melbourne, led by Associate Professor Giuseppe Barca, was awarded the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize for developing the first quantum-accurate simulation of biological systems. The award is often referred to as the 'Nobel' prize in high performance computing. This breakthrough enables precise modelling of drug performance, promising to accelerate and reduce the costs associated with new drug development. Potential applications of quantum computing There is a lot of time and money being invested into quantum. But what does this mean, and how can it be used? While quantum computers won't replace more traditional ones, they have the potential to transform various industries. In cryptography, they could break current encryption methods, creating both challenges and opportunities, with researchers working on quantum-safe solutions. In sectors like logistics, finance, and supply chain management, quantum computing could rapidly solve complex optimisation problems. It will also revolutionise AI and machine learning by speeding up data processing and analysis. And in fields like drug discovery and material science, simulating molecular interactions at a quantum level could lead to groundbreaking innovations. Challenges to overcome Despite the promise of quantum computing, significant hurdles remain. One of the primary challenges is the competition Australia faces from other countries. Countries across the globe are investing billions into quantum technologies, and the Australian industry needs support to keep its leading position. Australia has already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in establishing deep technical skills. Now is the time to build on and increase these efforts while building resilience to global changes. Another issue is scalability. To build a truly useful quantum computer, researchers need to develop systems with thousands or even millions of qubits. This requires advances in error correction and hardware development, which are still in the experimental stage. Australia's researchers and startups are actively working to address these challenges. Companies like Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), founded by Professor Michelle Simmons, are developing silicon-based quantum processors, a promising approach that could lead to more stable and scalable quantum computers. The road ahead I believe Australia can become a global leader in quantum computing. Achieving this vision, however, will require continued investment in research, infrastructure, and workforce development. Training the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers will be critical to maintaining a competitive edge. It will be essential for partnerships between the public and private sectors to be forged to translate academic research into real-world applications. Only by encouraging Australian businesses to explore quantum solutions and invest in research will we reach the point of driving innovation across multiple industries.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China builds world-first ocean ‘microscope' with half-mile resolution despite US curbs
Chinese scientists claim to have developed the world's most advanced ocean simulation system, achieving a resolution of 0.6 miles (1 kilometer). This breakthrough sets a new benchmark in global ocean modeling and defies ongoing semiconductor export restrictions imposed by the United States. The new simulation system, named LICOMK++, was created by research teams from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Atmospheric Physics and the Computer Network Information Centre. It offers unmatched precision in modeling how oceans behave and interact with climate systems. According to China's state news agency Xinhua, the simulator acts like an ocean 'microscope.' It can track detailed processes like ocean eddies and heat transport that were previously impossible to model at this scale. This improvement will drastically improve typhoons, floods, and marine heatwaves forecasting. This innovation reflects China's growing determination to achieve technological independence in critical areas, especially in the face of tight Western tech embargoes. Despite semiconductor import limitations, the team overcame performance barriers in supercomputing using custom algorithms and optimized programming strategies. 'The key to improving the accuracy of climate predictions lies in an ocean simulator,' the researchers explained. But achieving high-resolution simulations requires enormous computational power. Until now, this has been a major challenge in climate science. The LICOMK++ system is the first in the world to simulate global oceans at such a fine scale. With this capability, Chinese scientists can help global agencies refine climate predictions and create more accurate models for coastal planning and disaster response. The ocean plays a vital role in regulating the Earth's climate. It absorbs over 90 percent of the heat generated by global warming and more than 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. Simulating how these processes work is essential for understanding and adapting to climate change. LICOMK++ has already received widespread recognition. It was awarded the top supercomputing application prize at HPC China 2024, a major event hosted by the China Computer Federation. Last year, it was also one of three global finalists for the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize, the leading international award in high-performance computing for scientific advancements. A report from the Chinese research team highlighted that weather agencies using this advanced model would gain access to higher-quality data, which could help improve global and regional predictions of changes in the marine environment. In an article shared on its official social media page last Thursday, the China Meteorological Administration noted that LICOMK++ would also support various public services. These include better planning for coastal disaster mitigation, more effective marine resource management, and improved climate adaptation strategies. This innovation may serve as a turning point for global climate research. By enabling more precise ocean simulations, LICOMK++ promises to boost scientific understanding of the Earth's climate system and offer new tools to combat climate-related economic losses.
Zawya
13-02-2025
- Science
- Zawya
ADIA Lab senior fellow Professor Torsten Hoefler awarded Max Planck-Humboldt Research Medal
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: ADIA Lab Senior Fellow Professor Torsten Hoefler has been honoured with the Max Planck-Humboldt Research Medal – one of Germany's most distinguished scientific prizes – jointly presented by the Max Planck Society and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The award recognises Professor Hoefler's pioneering work and significant contributions to improving algorithmic efficiency for applications in high-performance computing and AI, particularly in climate research. His project, proposed at the beginning of his ADIA Lab fellowship and presented at the 2023 ADIA Lab Symposium, evaluated climate simulation infrastructure and the role of next-generation computing and AI in advancing these simulations. The Max Planck Society and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation praised Hoefler's achievements in processing large-scale climate data as "a particularly remarkable breakthrough for him and his team". Commenting on the announcement, Dr Horst Simon, Director of ADIA Lab, said: 'The Max Planck-Humboldt Research Medal is one of Germany's most prestigious scientific prizes and we are delighted to congratulate Professor Hoefler on his achievement. Climate science is one of ADIA Lab's key areas of research, so it is particularly pleasing to see one of our Senior Fellows gain such recognition for his work in this field, and it makes us especially proud that we took part in this.' Professor Hoefler is a distinguished recipient of the Gordon Bell Prize (2019) and the IEEE CS Sidney Fernbach Memorial Award (2022), in addition to winning multiple best paper awards at ACM/IEEE Supercomputing Conferences. His contributions also include significant advancements in scalable networks and parallel programming techniques. ADIA Lab has a growing number of Senior Fellows who are supported to develop research projects and publish the results to the wider community, including through academic journals and presentations at conferences and workshops. ADIA Lab Fellows collaborate with researchers and professionals both within the UAE and internationally. For more information about the Max Planck-Humboldt Research Medal, visit: To learn more about ADIA Lab Fellows, visit: To watch the recording of Professor Hoefler's presentation at the ADIA Lab Symposium 2024, visit ADIA Lab's YouTube channel: -Ends- About ADIA Lab ADIA Lab is an independent institution engaged in basic and applied research in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and High-Performance and Quantum Computing, across all major fields of study. This includes exploring applications in areas such as climate change and energy transition, blockchain technology, financial inclusion and investing, decision making, automation, cybersecurity, health sciences, education, telecommunications, and space. Based in Abu Dhabi, ADIA Lab is an independent, standalone entity supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), a globally-diversified investment institution that invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi. ADIA Lab has its own governance and operational structure, and is guided by an Advisory Board of global thought leaders in data and computationally-intensive disciplines, to pursue its research independently. For media information contact: Nida Noor / Raneem Abudaqqa Tales & Heads Email: ADIALab@
