AWE marks International Year of Quantum Science and Technology

As AWE commemorates its 75th anniversary this year, we also join the global scientific community in marking the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025 (IYQ), recognising a century of groundbreaking achievements in quantum physics and its transformative impact on the world.

The connection between quantum mechanics and nuclear security is longstanding and enduring since the Manhattan Project in the 1940s.

Today, we continue to mark the legacy of quantum research – not just a foundation of past endeavours – but as a vital part of the science that underpins our critical national mission now and in the future.

Quantum is increasingly recognised as a key capability for AWE, and its importance is highlighted in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review.

A recent podcast was produced by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FST) in collaboration with AWE’s External Technical Partnerships Office (ETPO) that discussed our contribution to IYQ. AWE’s Chief Scientist Dr Robert Lock joined Sir Peter Knight, Emeritus Professor of Quantum Optics at Imperial College London, Chair of the National Quantum Technology Programme Strategic Advisory Board, and Co-Chair of the IYQ Steering Group for UNESCO, and together, they explored the evolving landscape of quantum technologies and what it means for UK science and technology.

Listen to the podcast here.

AWE also successfully hosted a Lunch and Learn session, which raised awareness of quantum science and its significance to our programme. Guest speakers Professor Steven Rose (Imperial College London) and Professor Paul Stevenson (University of Surrey and William Penney Fellow) – supported by AWE’s Chief Scientist, Dr Rob Lock, and AWE’s Lead for Quantum, Dr Neil Gaspar – explored the fascinating and intriguing world of quantum and its impact on science at AWE and beyond.