23 November 2024, Sat |
1:50 AM
NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will host the region’s first-ever Quantum Computing International Hackathon from March 30 to April 1 at the NYUAD Conference Center, with an emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, and advanced industries.
The three-day programming marathon will bring together renowned international computer science professors, successful startup founders, technology professionals, and venture capitalists at NYUAD to lead teams of talented computer science students from around the world – with the majority of students from the Arab world – to solve complex algorithms. The teams will create new apps in disciplines as diverse as health, education, film, music, business, and research for the benefit of social good in the Arab World and throughout the world.
This year, more than 200 participants from more than 30 countries will gather at NYNYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will host the region’s first-ever Quantum Computing International Hackathon from March 30 to April 1AD to learn about quantum computing and quantum-based technologies while accessing the freshly released Oxford Quantum Circuits quantum computer “Lucy” via Amazon’s Braket SDK. Participants will work together in cross-disciplinary and diverse worldwide teams to create their own social good solutions using quantum computers.
Learning top practices in software development, students will get a rare opportunity to be mentored by leaders in both industry and academia. This event will provide valuable insight into the full cycle of creating a tech startup, and create prospects for future international project collaboration, launching startups, and undertaking academic research. The best applications will be eligible for prizes.
AWS, the University of Calgary Institute for Quantum Science, the Quantum Algorithms Institute (Canada), and the QC researcher for the University Linz, Austria, will sponsor the NYUAD Hackathon for Social Good, as will qBraid and the Quantum Coalition Hackathon by Yale and Stanford.
Experts from businesses including Microsoft, AstraZeneca, IBM, AWS and qBraid will also be represented and available as a source of mentorships to the participants.
NYUAD Affiliated Faculty and Clinical Professor of Computer Science Sana Odeh, who organized the event, commented: “This year’s Hackathon for Social Good is an important event as we celebrate its tenth year, and it is also the region’s first quantum computing hackathon. We’re proud to bring experts from all over the world, from leading institutions including Yale, MIT, and Stanford, to provide participants with high-level quantum computing education, to mentor teams, and, along with the students, explore solutions to a wide range of challenging projects.”
“Our aim is to empower a new generation of students with the necessary skills to make a positive impact on the future of our society. Quantum computers will perhaps solve some of our hardest computational problems, which will promote innovation in computer science, tech startups, and the development of innovative technology from climate, healthcare, finance, security, to the arts and of course the sciences,” added Odeh.
Keynote speakers include Mike Pell, Director of The Microsoft Garage; multimedia artist, composer, and writer Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky), who is also a fellow at Yale’s Center for Quantum Computing; Barry Sanders, Professor, Director, Institute for Quantum Science and Technology; Distinguished Chair Professor, University of Science and Technology China; Kanav Setia, CEO and founder of Qbraid; and Robert Wille, Full Professor at Johannes Kepler University.
Since its inception in 2011, the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good has attracted over 1,000 participants from over 50 countries. Previous innovations from the Annual NYUAD International Hackathon include applications that connect grocery stores with food shoppers to reduce food waste; locate missing refugees; combat counterfeit medicine; provide affordable text translations; and increase employment in the Arab World, among others.
