Q# from Microsoft Continues Capturing the Curious
Understanding quantum computing and Q#
Excerpts and salient points ~
+ Kitty Yeung joined Microsoft as a creative technologist and Bay Area manager of The Garage back in 2018. When she joined there was a strong and growing interest in quantum computing among her local colleagues. As program manager for The Garage, Yeung drives forward a culture of innovation within Microsoft. With that charter, and a PhD in applied physics from Harvard, she set out to create a community focused on understanding this new technology.
“Many people joined the group because they’re intellectually curious and want to learn something challenging,” Yeung says. “And some people are seeking opportunities in new fields filled with promise. They are developing their skills in this programming language to better prepare themselves for the future.”
+ A learning program and course for quantum computing was soon developed. Yeung sent out first invitations to employees in the Bay Area, and more than 400 people signed up. Her kickoff meeting in the middle of 2018 attracted more than 100 participants. She’s held three recurring tracks of beginner classes on quantum computing concepts and basic Q# programming since then. The study group now has an advanced class and there are chapters across the globe within Microsoft. Speakers crossover from The Garage in India, Sunnyvale, and Redmond. Hackathon projects further connect the groups, all of which focus on driving a deeper understanding of the technology.
+ The potential applications of quantum computing are immense. The tremendous processing power and speed could drive breakthroughs in medicine, climate science, economics, and countless other fields.
+ At a recent Fortune event, Krysta Svore, Microsoft’s general manager of quantum software, said quantum computing could help solve the world’s most urgent problems. She said the technology will allow us to do things like capture “carbon from the atmosphere to save the planet” and “improve clean energy and food production.”
+ However, a lack of qualified professionals to further this important technology is impeding progress. Svore noted that currently, “there are not enough people educated in the space” to meet demand.
Source: Microsoft. Bay Area Staff, Understanding quantum computing and Q#…
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