Author's posts
Apr 30
Celebrating Excellence in Computer Science at Stellenbosch University
We highlight William Marais, one of the top Computer Science Honours students at Stellenbosch University. After completing his Honours degree with an impressive 84% average, William has continued into advanced research under the supervision of Francesco Petruccione. His research lies at the intersection of quantum computing and machine learning, focusing on the use of evolutionary …
Mar 22
Quantum Effects in Microtubules: A NITheCS & QSUN Seminar
Dr Lea Gassab gave us a fascinating dive into Quantum Effects in Microtubules this week, exploring how tiny quantum phenomena could play a role in biology. The spotlight was on tryptophan, an amino acid that lights up under UV at 280 nm. Its transition has the dipole moment which makes it a perfect candidate for …
Mar 05
Echoes from Quantum@SUN: Divide and Conquer Simulation of Open Quantum Systems
On 8 August 2025, NITheCS hosted a Groundbreaking Colloquium at Stellenbosch University titled “Divide and Conquer Simulation of Open Quantum Systems,” presented by Dr Nadja K. Bernardes, a quantum physicist at the University of Porto. Dr Bernarde’s research explored on the building of practical quantum algorithms to simulate open quantum systems that interact with their environment. Her research …
Mar 05
Echoes from Quantum@SUN
Echoes from Quantum@SUN is a blog series that brings past Quantum@SUN seminars back into the spotlight. In this series, selected seminars are revisited and transformed into accessible articles, allowing readers to engage with the key ideas, discussions, and insights shared by our speakers. By reposting and reworking these past talks into written form, Echoes from …
Feb 25
Exploring Algorithms at the 16th CHPC & 8th NITheCS Coding Summer School
At the 16th CHPC & 8th NITheCS Coding Summer School on day 6, Prof Francesco Petruccione and Dipika Ramjugernath presented a session to participants and explored the core strategies that computer scientists use to solve complex computational problems efficiently. The presenters made a note to participants that not all computational problems are straightforward. Difficulty of …
Feb 09
Inside the QWorld Annual Meeting: Connecting a Global Quantum Community
The second QWorld Annual Meeting convened participants from around the world to discuss the growth and coordination of the QWorld network. Chairperson Paweł Góra opened the meeting by outlining its purpose: presenting QWorld and its regional “QWorld Cousins,” exploring the opportunities for quantum initiatives, and fostering community integration. The two-day event’s programme featured presentations from …
Feb 09
How Symmetry Helps Scientists Solve Difficult Wave Equation
Understanding the Challenge At the Dynamic Systems Workshop at Stellenbosch University, Dr Ali Raza explained how mathematicians solve the most complex wave equations in physics. These equations describe how vibrations, signals, and energy move in different environments. The problem is that once the wave equations become “nonlinear” the classic mathematical tricks no longer work. …
Feb 09
Shaping the Future of Mathematics and AI: Professor Moyo Opens the Workshop
A Warm Welcome to a Growing Community Stellenbosch University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Professor Cebisa Moyo, opened the Dynamical Systems Theory and Modelling with AI Workshop with energy and purpose. Speaking to participants from South Africa, Thailand, Greece and beyond, she highlighted the importance of bringing mathematicians, physicists, engineers and computer …