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In July 1925, Heisenberg published his paper on matrix mechanics, followed shortly thereafter (in early 1926) by Schrodinger’s paper on wave mechanics. As such, 2025 is the centenary of the modern quantum theory. This conference aims to bring together experts in the history and philosophy of quantum theory and researchers working on various foundational issues to shed new light on the past, present and future of the theory. 

The meeting aims to benefit from the useful synergy that exists between historical studies and efforts to push forward the frontier of our knowledge. On one side, the details of the path to discovery of various quantum concepts or applications of quantum ideas can inform contemporary research. For instance, whenever there is a paradigm of thinking that is sufficiently pervasive today that it is difficult to even recognize the possibility of alternatives, familiarity with the debates at the historical origin of this paradigm can help to make explicit what is usually left implicit. On the other side, modern developments can often shed new light on various historical and philosophical issues. 

The fact that there is still no broad consensus on many of the conceptual issues that have been controversial since the birth of modern quantum theory suggests that a proper understanding of these remains to be achieved. The occasion of the quantum centenary provides a good opportunity for the community to develop a broader perspective on these issues, draw connections between research programs that aim to address them, and set objectives for future research.

The aim is to have two types of talks concerning the history: those that present novel takes on well-studied historical topics and those that address more unconventional historical questions.  The second category aims to include talks on the history of a variety of subfields of quantum theory, such quantum information, quantum field theory, quantum optics, quantum logic, quantum chemistry, quantum gravity, quantum matter and quantum foundations..

Conference topics include:

• The prehistory of modern quantum theory 
• The historical development of modern quantum theory
• The discovery of Important concepts in quantum theory (the uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality, particle statistics, the no-cloning theorem, teleportation, etc.)
• The discovery of important no-go results (von Neumann’s no-go theorem, the 1935 Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen argument, Bell’s theorem, the Kochen-Specker theorem)
• The history of quantum information, quantum field theory, quantum optics, quantum logic, quantum chemistry, quantum gravity, and quantum matter
• The sociology of quantum physics

Scientific Organizers:

• Robert Spekkens (Perimeter Institute)

• Wayne Myrvold (Western University)

• Doreen Fraser (University of Waterloo)

• Katherine Mack (Perimeter Institute)

• David Schmid (Perimeter Institute)

• Nick Ormrod (Perimeter Institute)

• Marina Maciel Ansanelli (Perimeter Institute)

• Yile Ying (Perimeter Institute)

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Organizing Committee (LOC) 
 

Selim Hotinli (Perimeter Institute) 

Neal Dalal (Perimeter Institute) 

Mike Hudson (University of Waterloo, Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics) 

Matt Johnson (Perimeter Institute) 

Katie Mack (Perimeter Institute) 

Brian McNamara (University of Waterloo, Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics) 

Arielle Phillips (University of Notre Dame / Simons Emmy Noether Fellow at Perimeter Institute) 

Kendrick Smith (Perimeter Institute) 

Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) 
 

Nick Battaglia (Cornell) 

Hsiao-Wen Chen (University of Chicago) 

Megan Donahue (Michigan State University) 

Claude-André Faucher-Giguère (Northwestern) 

Cameron Hummels (Caltech) 

Selim Hotinli (Perimeter Institute) 

Ian McCarthy (Liverpool John Moores University) 

Daisuke Nagai (Yale) 

Gwen Rudie (Carnegie Institution for Science) 

Freeke van de Voort (Cardiff University) 

Jessica Werk (University of Washington) 

Confirmed Speakers 

Alexandra Amon (Princeton)  

Iryna Butsky (Stanford)  

William Coulton (Cambridge University)  

Sanskrti Das (Stanford)  

Simone Ferraro (Berkeley Lab)  

Nicholas J Frontiere (Argonne)  

Vera Gluscevic (USC)  

Boryana Hadzhiyska (UC Berkeley & Berkeley Lab)  

Stella Koch Ocker (California Institute of Technology)  

Khee-Gan Lee (IPMU)  

Andrew Newman (Carnegie Institution for Science) 

Peng Oh (UC Santa Barbara) 

Hiranya Peiris (University of Cambridge) 

Andrew Pontzen (Durham University)  

Emanuel Schaan (SLAC)  

Joop Schaye (Leiden University)  

Chuck Steidel (California Institute of Technology)  

Jonathan Stern (Tel Aviv University)  

Mark Voit (Michigan State University)  

Irina Zhuravleva (University of Chicago) 

Additional invited speakers will be added as they are confirmed. 

QIQG 2025: Quantum Information in Quantum Gravity

• Algebraic approaches to field theory and gravity
• Observers, quantum reference frames, and relational observables
• Quantum focussing and the Generalized Second Law
• SYK and its double-scaled limit
• The quantum information theoretic structure of spacetime
• Edge modes and entanglement entropy across subregions
• The role of complexity in field theory and gravity
• The black-hole information puzzle and related issues
• Quantum error-correcting codes in quantum field theory and quantum gravity
• Quantum cryptography and its implications for gravity
• Gravitational wormholes and their information-theoretic implications
• Chaos and thermalization in many-body systems and their realization in quantum gravity
• Holographic cosmology and de Sitter space

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Scientific Organizers

Luca Ciambelli (Perimeter Institute)
Rob Myers (Perimeter Institute)
Chris Waddell (Perimeter Institute)
Beni Yoshida (Perimeter Institute)

What is time? Is it fundamental or emergent? This question lies at the foundation of contemporary physics and provides a key to unlocking some of its most challenging open problems, from quantum gravity to cosmology. The quest to understand time extends beyond the realm of physics, providing a privileged standpoint to address questions in diverse fields such as philosophy, mathematics, and computer science.

In this conference, we explore the nature of time from many different perspectives. This is the occasion to honor Perimeter’s “Master of Time,” Lee Smolin, and to celebrate his seminal scientific contributions. Lee Smolin is a founding faculty member of Perimeter Institute and a primary inspiration behind its spirit and design. This is an opportunity to journey back in time to the origins of some of the groundbreaking initiatives that Lee helped develop, and to look forward to future developments inspired by his achievements. The conference focuses on time but also on the foundations of quantum mechanics and the quest for quantum gravity, particularly Loop Quantum Gravity, of which Lee Smolin is a co-creator. In the spirit of Lee Smolin, the conference celebrates the interdisciplinary nature of the journey toward quantum gravity, with contributions from physics, mathematics, computer science, and philosophy.

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Scientific Organizers
Laurent Freidel (Perimeter Institute)
Maïté Dupuis (Perimeter Institute)
Dongxue Qu (Perimeter Institute)
Francesca Vidotto (Western University)

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Speakers

• Niayesh Afshordi (University of Waterloo)
• Stephon Alexander (Brown University)
• Giovanni Amelino-Camelia (University of Naples Federico II)
• Julian Barbour (Independent)
• Bianca Dittrich (Perimeter Institute)
• Fay Dowker (Imperial College)
• Avshalom Elitzur (Chapman University)
• Lucien Hardy (Perimeter Institute)
• Viqar Husain (University of New Brunswick)
• Jenann Ismael (Johns Hopkins University)
• Ted Jacobson (Maryland University)
• Jaron Lanier (Microsoft Research)
• Etera Livine (Lyon, Ecole Normale Superieure)
• João Magueijo (Imperial College London)
• Seth Major (Hamilton College)
• Carlo Rovelli (Aix-Marseille University)
• Simon Saunders (Oxford University)
• Simone Speziale (Aix-Marseille University)
• Francesca Vidotto (Western University)
• Steven Weinstein (University of Waterloo) 

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Credit: Artwork by Kaća Bradonjić

A key task for many quantum gravity approaches is the development of effective numerical tools, in order to be able to extract physical predictions. This does apply in particular to approaches focusing on the Lorentzian path integral / Lorentzian spacetimes. The main aim of the workshop is to learn and develop methods to deal with Lorentzian signature. This will be a hands-on workshop, where projects will be pursued in small groups.

Oct 16 event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled in November - Lightning talks on Friday will still proceed

Unlike traditional conferences, an unconference is a participant-driven meeting that prioritizes informal discussions on topics of interest to the participants.  Sessions consist of discussions in small breakout groups. The topics for discussion get proposed and voted on early during a mingler event, and the schedule is made up on the spot from these suggestions.

Any and all topics pertinent to Perimeter postdocs can be proposed as the focus of a session. The following are some examples of topics that you might suggest:

• Recent progress in field X and why researchers in field Y should take notice
• Why gravity does/doesn’t need to be quantized
• The implications of chat-GPT for theoretical physics
• The correct interpretation of quantum theory is X
• The correct account of dark matter is X 
• What role can physicists play in climate action?
• The future of scientific publishing
• Physics outreach in the age of social media
• The role of information theory in modern physics
• How to make scientific conferences more productive

Please think of at least one topic that you would like to discuss prior to the event!

PI Resident Postdocs are encouraged to register to attend the session (max 48 audience), and to submit a Lightning Talk via the Call for Abstracts (max  18 talks).