Registrations are open until 11th May at 23:59, Berlin time!
PenteQost-25 is the second edition of our interdisciplinary and international undergraduate spring school on the Fundamentals of Quantum Science. Building on the success of the first edition in Siegen, this year the event will once again be hosted by the University of Siegen, Germany, and will take place from Friday afternoon, June 6, to Tuesday noon, June 10, 2025, during the long Pentecost weekend so that it does not overlap with regular summer semester lectures. Undergraduate students from all fields of study are welcome to join us in exploring quantum science through lectures, interactive discussions, and collaborative sessions in an international setting.
Timetable
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Registration and the first lecture on Friday, June 6 will take place in the Hörsaalzentrum (US-C building, Unteres Schloss), lecture hall US-C114.
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All subsequent events—including lectures, dinner, and the games evening—will be held in the US-S building (Unteres Schloss).
What will be taught:
You will learn the theoretical fundamentals and the experimental practice of quantum science and technology, which includes:
Quantum Foundations & Open Quantum Systems: Explore the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics with a focus on open quantum systems. Learn how interactions with the environment affect quantum dynamics and how these effects can be modeled using completely positive maps and master equations. Understand the role of noise and decoherence and their impact on quantum technologies.
Quantum Information & Statistical Inference: Discover how quantum mechanics enhances statistical inference, leading to improved measurement precision and data analysis. Learn how quantum Fisher information, the Helstrom bound, and Heisenberg scaling push the limits of classical estimation techniques. Applications in quantum metrology and quantum-enhanced decision-making will be explored.
Integrable Quantum Systems: Explore integrable quantum systems and their role in many-body quantum physics. Learn about the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz, a powerful method for solving exactly solvable quantum models, and Generalised Hydrodynamics, a modern approach to understanding quantum transport and dynamics in these systems. Applications to quantum gases, low-dimensional materials, and statistical mechanics will be discussed.
Quantum Computational Complexity: Examine the computational hardness of quantum problems and how quantum mechanics redefines algorithmic efficiency. Understand QMA-completeness, entanglement in computation, and the complexity classes that separate classical and quantum computation. Explore the challenges and opportunities in quantum simulation, cryptography, and quantum algorithm design.
Optical Clocks & Precision Spectroscopy: Explore the world of optical clocks and their role in precision timekeeping. Learn about the latest developments in trapped-ion-based optical clocks, including multi-ion clocks and the use of quantum entanglement to enhance stability. Discover how these cutting-edge timekeeping devices contribute to Earth observation, tests of fundamental physics, and the search for new physics.
All lectures will be given in English, and you will interact with leading international scientists in the respective fields:
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Andrea Smirne (University of Milan) – expert on the theory of open quantum systems, with particular focus on non‐Markovian dynamics and quantum metrology.
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Michalis Skotiniotis (University of Granada) – specialist in quantum information theory and quantum statistical inference.
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Olalla Castro‐Alvaredo (City, University of London) – expert on low‑dimensional quantum field theory and entanglement measures in integrable systems
- Sevag Gharibian (Paderborn University, Germany)– expert on quantum computational complexity, with a focus on QMA-complete problems, entanglement theory, and the algorithmic foundations of quantum many‑body systems.
- Elena Judith Jordan (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) – Specializes in optical clocks, precision spectroscopy, and trapped-ion-based quantum technologies.
Interested? Register HERE.
Prerequisites:
We recommend that you have essential knowledge of linear algebra and analysis, as typically taught in introductory undergraduate math courses. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the basic concepts of quantum physics beforehand. For example, you may already have attended a quantum physics lecture in your university before. If not, we can recommend the following online courses and textbooks:
- (Book) "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information" by M. Nielsen and I. L. Chuang – Chapters 1 and 2.
- (Online resource) "Quantum computing for the very curious" and "Quantum mechanics distilled" by A. Matuschak and M. Nielsen
- (Video lectures) "Introduction to Quantum Information Science" by A. Ekert – Lectures 1 to 4.
(Graduate students with advanced knowledge in quantum science are welcome to participate, but they should note that this school is aimed at the introductory level.)
Hosts:
The research group in charge of organizing this school is led by Otfried Gühne, together with the PIs Matthias Kleinmann, Chau Nguyen, Stefan Nimmrichter, and Ramona Wolf. We investigate all aspects of quantum foundations, quantum information theory, and quantum metrology. On the experimental side, Christof Wunderlich’s research group is developing a cutting-edge platform for quantum computing with trapped ions. The recently founded the spin-off company eleQtron is currently developing chips based on this platform.
Check out also our new "Quantum Science" master program, an interdisciplinary Master study program open for international students with a Bachelor’s degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering.
Siegen is located centrally in Germany, around 125km northwest of Frankfurt and 90km east of Cologne. It can be easily reached via train or car, and nearby international airports are in Frankfurt, Cologne, and Düsseldorf. Downtown Siegen offers many pubs, restaurants and cafes, but also theaters, cinemas and concert halls. Further travel information can be found in the side menu.
Financial support
Financial support will be provided for selected students. The exact amount will be defined depending on the final number of applicants, but should be enough to cover a large part of the expenses.
TLDR
- What: Interdisciplinary and international school on Fundamentals of Quantum Science (quantum foundations, quantum cryptography, quantum computing, quantum complexity theory, trapped ions etc.)
- For whom: Undergraduate and graduate students in physics, maths, computer science, electrical engineering and related fields.
- When: Friday afternoon, June 6, to Tuesday noon, June 10, 2025; registration deadline is May 4, 2025, at 23:59 (Berlin time).
- Where:
University of Siegen, Germany, conveniently located between Frankfurt and Cologne.
