Miriam DiamondArthur B. McDonald-Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute
PIRSA:24060006
"We are faced with convincing evidence that approximately a quarter of the
universe is composed of something whose gravitational effects can be seen
in a variety of astrophysical phenomena, but which we have been unable
to detect and identify in the laboratory. The majority of physicists agree that
this ""dark matter"" (DM) consists of as-yet-undiscovered subatomic
particle(s) that are not included in our Standard Model of particle physics;
the quest to discover its exact nature is among the foremost missions in
modern physics and the greatest treasure hunts in history. Direct DM
searches over the past few decades have been largely focused on Weakly
Interacting Massive Particles with masses much greater than that of the
proton. The absence of any conclusive discovery, along with various
theoretical developments and certain astrophysical observations, has
recently motivated the direct detection community to broaden our
experimental program to search for DM candidates in lower mass ranges.
Solid-state detectors provide many advantages for such searches. This talk
will summarize recent advances in phonon- and ionization-based
semiconductor crystal experiments, cryogenic scintillating calorimeter
experiments, and Charge-Coupled Device experiments. It will also discuss
future prospects and discovery potential for solid-state detectors with
respect to various low-mass DM candidates, including dark photons,
axion-like particles, and lightly-ionizing particles."
"In this talk, I will share insights from my journey in driving innovation within the
quantum space across various sectors, including space, financial services,
healthcare & pharmaceuticals and across various emerging technologies.
Drawing from my current role at the National Quantum Computing Centre
(NQCC), I will discuss the transformative potential of quantum readiness driven
by the adoption of quantum computing use cases. I will briefly introduce the
NQCC, which was established under the UK government's National Quantum
Technologies Program, to address the challenge of scaling quantum computing
and discuss the various support mechanisms we have put in place to support
the quantum ecosystem in the Uk, including our flagship user engagement
program, SPARQ. Through these initiatives, the NQCC supports the discovery
of relevant quantum computing use cases and spearheads the development of
quantum computing applications. Throughout the talk, I will emphasize the
importance of engaging stakeholders from government, industry, academia, as
well as regulators and policymakers to spearhead responsible innovation."