Quantum Century: Unlocking the Universe’s Secrets and Shaping our Future – Dr Danielle Holmes

Join us to celebrate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology at this public lecture jointly hosted by the  Australian Institute of Physics and the University of Melbourne:

Dr Danielle Holmes

The University of New South Wales, Sydney

Quantum Century: Unlocking the Universe’s Secrets and Shaping our Future

This free public lecture is part of the AIP’s  2025 Marie Curie Lecture Series, and the University of Melbourne’s 2025 July Lectures in Physics.

100 years ago, quantum physics was born to explain curious behaviour of tiny things. Since then, it has become our most accurate theory in history. It has unlocked secrets of our Universe, such as why stars shine and how migratory birds navigate. In this talk, I will take you on a journey to visit these surprising and consequential wonders of the quantum world. I will then reveal how scientists are now harnessing quantum physics to develop revolutionary computers that will solve problems that are currently out of reach, such as designing new medicines to fight disease and developing new materials to combat climate change. Quantum physics is the most powerful tool that humans possess, not just for increasing our understanding of the world, but for shaping its future.

Dr Danielle Holmes makes ‘qubits’ using individual atoms in silicon chips. These qubits are the building blocks of quantum computers, new technology that will revolutionise humanity’s problem-solving abilities. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Cambridge, before exploring the technologies used to build quantum computers during her PhD at the University of Melbourne. Now at UNSW as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Danielle is a passionate science outreach communicator. She shares her love for quantum physics well beyond the laboratory- having even performed at the Sydney Comedy Festival!