APS celebrates International Year of Quantum Science and Technology throughout 2025
On June 7, 2024, the United Nations proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). According to the proclamation, this year-long, worldwide initiative will "be observed through activities at all levels aimed at increasing public awareness of the importance of quantum science and applications."
APS is a founding partner of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, and will offer numerous ways for the physics community to engage in the global celebration throughout 2025.
Participate in IYQ
Interested parties can submit an event or online resource for the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. APS also invites colleagues and partners to join us in raising public awareness of the importance of quantum science by sponsoring the Society’s IYQ participation.
Join the conversation on social media
Follow IYQ online for updates about events, resources, and more as we celebrate quantum science and technology throughout 2025.
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UNESCO opening ceremony
The UNESCO House in Paris will host a two-day kickoff celebration, Feb. 4-5, 2025, which will include remarks by 2025 APS President John Doyle. Government dignitaries, Nobel Laureates, numerous esteemed physicists, and industry and social scientists will discuss the current status and the future of the field, including how to make quantum science and technology accessible to all. UNESCO will livestream the event.
QuantumFest 2025 at the APS Global Physics Summit
In conjunction with the 2025 Joint APS March Meeting and April Meeting in Anaheim — referred to as the APS Global Physics Summit — on Saturday, March 13, from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., the City National Grove of Anaheim will play host to a public, day-long IYQ event! The Quantum Jubilee will unfold through an engaging performance, science demonstrations, and flash talks, showcasing the wonders of quantum physics. The program includes three segments: Quantum Harmonies, Quantum Journeys, and Quantum Celebrations.
The vibrant Quantum Playground at the Global Physics Summit will feature themed booths, interactive experiences, games, demonstrations, art and science installations, and mini-performances. The engaging playground platform will delight attendees with hands-on activities and inspiring outreach activities.
The Quantum Treasure Hunt: Save the Cat activity will transport participants into the quantum world through engaging time travel portals. The hunt will keep participants engaged and entertained, bringing awareness of the importance of outreach in quantum science.
The collaborative art and science project Birds of Science will transform scientists into artists, bringing participants together to craft origami birds from pages of scientific writings or scientific APS papers. These individual creations will come together to form a breathtaking large-scale installation symbolizing the fusion of knowledge, creativity, and shared exploration.
More IYQ activities at the APS Global Physics Summit
The session on Thursday, March 20 will showcase five esteemed physicists presenting groundbreaking advancements in atomic clocks, quantum thermodynamics, and quantum ghost imaging of plants. The symposium will serve as a prominent conclusion to the week’s events.
The APS Division of Quantum Information and PRX Quantum journal will co-present the award session.
APS will work with the Division of Quantum Information (DQI), and the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) to provide a workshop for teachers during the Teachers' Days at the APS Global Physics Summit and DAMOP Annual Meeting.
Physical Review celebratory sessions at the APS Global Physics Summit
In addition, Physical Review invited talks at the APS Global Physics Summit will showcase remarkable milestones over the last 100 years, as well as the latest cutting-edge developments in quantum science. Nobel laureates, current leaders in the field, and rising-star researchers will deliver the talks, and attendees can benefit from global exposure to demonstrate their commitment to advancing quantum science and technology.
Join Nobel Laureates and leading scientists to hear about breakthrough discoveries. A series of on-site talks will highlight recent research in quantum science that is likely to influence the next decade. The session will feature five leading speakers covering results recently published in the PRX Quantum collection that celebrates the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics.
This series of historical talks will highlight key discoveries of the last century, reflecting on how they have shaped today’s science and hinting at the next big challenges.
This series of talks will highlight how quantum information provides ideas and tools that directly impact research in other (seemingly unrelated) areas of knowledge, from cosmology to biology, high-energy physics, condensed matter, and beyond. The session will feature five leading speakers, covering areas significantly influenced by quantum information concepts and related technological possibilities.
Partnership with PhD Comics
In perhaps the most whimsical IYQ contribution, the Society, in a joint project with the American Institute of Physics, Optica, and the American Association of Physics Teachers, has partnered with cartoonist Jorge Cham, creator of the incredibly popular Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD Comics) webcomic series. Cham will produce a series of comics and animations allowing all audiences to understand what quantum science is today and how it will affect our lives tomorrow. The series will tackle questions such as: How close are we to a useful quantum computer? How will quantum computing change our lives through the discoveries it will enable? Is gravity also quantum? In previous projects, Cham has made complex scientific breakthroughs accessible for general audiences, and the Nobel Prize ceremony to honor Peter Higgs included a screening of his Higgs boson animation.
APS journals celebrate quantum science and technology
Curated quantum science paper collection
In addition to the Physical Review Celebratory Sessions at the APS Global Physics Summit, various journal clubs, based in the U.S. and throughout the world, will partner to curate a collection of seminal papers on quantum science and technology, making this scientific treasure trove much more accessible for scholars. To showcase and amplify the importance of the collection, APS will offer a Wikipedia training for scientists. APS efforts will increase global access to accurate and cutting-edge quantum science knowledge, improve the public's access to sound science, and raise visibility of the contributions of underrepresented groups.
Quantum science and technology for K-12 classroom teachers
The popular APS PhysicsQuest kits, a hands-on middle school curriculum, will focus in 2025 on quantum science and technology! The kits are already in production through a partnership between APS, the APS Division of Quantum Information (DQI), and the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP). APS will distribute these one thousand kits to teachers, along with a full explanation of all materials and lessons, free of charge, and will work with the units to provide a workshop for teachers during the Teachers' Days at the APS Global Physics Summit and DAMOP Annual Meeting.
APS Quantum To-Go, a program matching educators with career physicists, will be an option for PhysicsQuest kit requesters: a physicist who works with quantum science and technology in some capacity can appear virtually to speak with students. It's a personal supplement to the PhysicsQuest kits! Quantum To-Go visits are dependent on educator/physicist needs, so can take a variety of different forms to fit the matched pair of professionals.
Quantum careers program for physicists
Quantum Connect webinar series
Throughout 2025, APS will present Quantum Connect, a free webinar series that brings the intriguing world of quantum physics to life. Featuring experts from the quantum industry, participants will learn about exciting career opportunities in quantum science and technology, as well as the skill sets required for success in a growing industry. Topics will include:
- Quantum Computing: Transforming Healthcare
- Quantum Finance: Redefining the Future of Money
- Quantum Security: Safeguarding the Digital World
- Quantum Materials and Manufacturing: Building the Future
- Quantum Technology in National Security
- Quantum Agriculture: Feeding the World
- Quantum Arts & Culture: The Fusion of Science and Creativity
- Sensing the Quantum World: Quantum Optics and the Nature of Light
- Quantum Physics: The Future of High-Energy Particles
Quantum Careers Guide
January 2025 will see the publication of the popular annual APS Careers Guide, an important resource for students and early-career physicists. The 2025 edition is focused squarely on the quantum science workforce. A joint partnership of APS and IOP Publishing, the 2025 guide represents a can’t-miss opportunity for employers, especially those in quantum information science and technology, to showcase job opportunities at their company to a global audience.
Quantum-focused Career Fair
APS will host an inaugural Career Fair at the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical (DAMOP) meeting in June 2025 in Portland, Oregon, with a special focus on careers in the quantum science workforce. Participating employers will be able to advertise their jobs on the APS Physics Jobs website and interview candidates on-site. The DAMOP Career Fair 2025 will be a great place for job seekers to discover and connect with opportunities in the Quantum Information Science and Technology field.
Quantum education and engagement programs for physicists
The APS Science Trust Project will offer virtual and in-person workshops on strategies for addressing misinformation about quantum science. In-person workshops will launch at the APS Global Physics Summit and the APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) Annual Meeting, with virtual events following throughout 2025. Public trust in science and scientists is essential for widespread implementation of new quantum technologies and support for groundbreaking research. Attendees can empower scientists to bridge divides by engaging in meaningful conversations about quantum science and technology.
The 2025 APS Innovation Fund will advance collaborative projects to enhance public understanding of quantum science. Winning projects include an installation of a chandelier-like quantum model at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, a magnetic levitation suit for K-12 outreach, customized PhysicsQuest kits for use in Canada and Africa, a summer camp for indigenous middle school students, and a crash course on quantum information science for digital content creators.
Related
We invite you to join us in this celebration by sponsoring one or more of our key activities.
Collaborating with APS gives your company, foundation, university, or other institution a tangible way to support a thriving physics community while expanding your reach and advancing your brand.
APS events provide multiple opportunities for partnership to highlight your products and advance your brand to thousands of scientists and leaders in laboratories, universities, and industry.
The declaration recognizes quantum science's potential as a driver of sustainable development and global communications.