Sustainable Quantum Innovation Workshop 2026

University of Surrey, UK, 18 - 19 June 2026.

This workshop aims to bring together perspectives from quantum physics, quantum biology, and sustainability.

On this page: Overview | Key details | Programme | Invited speakers | Organising committee

Contact us

If you have any questions, please reach out to Youngchan Kim.

youngchan.kim@surrey.ac.uk

Overview

Quantum mechanics - the theory governing the microscopic world of atoms and molecules - has long underpinned our understanding of modern physics. Quantum biology is an emerging transdisciplinary field that explores the tantalising intersections of quantum mechanics and the biology of living systems, aiming to create a new synthesis of quantum mechanics with the inherent, highly structured order and organised complexity of living systems. Explicitly incorporating quantum principles into biological systems has the potential to offer a pathway to unlocking new biological insights into nature’s eco-friendly and energy-efficient mechanisms.

A central focus of this workshop is the exploration of how quantum-scale insights from both physical and biological phenomena might help drive the next generation of sustainable solutions. Moving beyond the mere consolidation of current knowledge, the workshop is designed to:

Pinpoint previously under-recognised physical mechanisms that drive efficiency in nature
Stimulate the design of novel experimental strategies to empirically validate these quantum effects
Emphasise the translation of abstract theoretical principles into testable hypotheses.

By bridging these gaps, this workshop aims to forge complementary collaborations and develop ambitious research agendas that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. At its heart, this exchange seeks to demonstrate that biological, bio-inspired, and biomimetic quantum pathways provide the primary blueprint for ensuring that the future of quantum science and technology is as sustainable as it is transformative.

Key details

How to book

Registration will open in due course

Dates

18 -19 June, 2026

Location

This is an in-person event only: Innovation for Health Building (02 IFH 01), Stag Hill, University of Surrey.

Contact

If you have any questions, please reach out to Youngchan at youngchan.kim@surrey.ac.uk.

Programme

Day one: Thursday 18 June 2026

Time	Details
08:00 - 9:00	Registration and refreshments
09:00 - 09:05	Opening remarks \| Andrea Rocco
Session 1: Photonics and quantum computing
09:05 - 09:30	TBA \| Jaewoo Joo, University of Portsmouth
09:30 - 10:05	Keynote TBA \| Ben Murdin, University of Surrey
10:05 - 10:40	Keynote TBA \| Erik Gauger, Heriot-Watt University
10:40 - 11:00	Coffee break
Session 2: Synthetic biology, quantum biology, and neurobiology
11:00 - 11:25	Engineering quantum proteins for bio-imaging, sensing and control \| Gabriel Abrahams, University of Oxford
11:25 - 11:50	Biology for quantum: Quantum effects in evolutionarily divergent fluorescent proteins \| Youngchan Kim, University of Surrey
11:50 - 12:15	Neuronal magnetosensitivity in drosophila \| Adam Bradlaugh, University of Manchester
12:15 - 12:40	TBA \| Matthew Parker, University of Surrey
12:40 - 14:00	Lunch
Session 3: Theory and modelling
14:10 - 14:35	TBA \| Andrea Rocco, University of Surrey
14:35 - 15:00	TBA \| Eran Ginossar, University of Surrey
15:00 - 15:25	TBA \| Marco Sacchi, University of Surrey
15:30 - 16:00	Coffee break and group photo
Session 4: Roundtable discussion 1
16:00 - 17:30	Roundtable discussion 1 I Moderator: Andrea Rocco
18:00: End of day 1
19:00 - 22:00	Speaker dinner (invited speaker only)

Day two: Friday 19 June 2026

Time	Details
08:00 - 9:00	Refreshments
Session 5: Sustainability and broad Impact
09:00 - 09:30	Keynote TBA \| Zoe Harris (University of Surrey)
09:30 - 10:00	Keynote TBA \| Alex Jones (National Physical Laboratory)
10:00 - 10:20	Sustainability and quantum technologies - An EPSRC Perspective \| Tracy Key (EPSRC)
10:20 - 11:00	Coffee break
Session 6: Roundtable discussion 2
11:00 - 12:30	Roundtable Discussion 2 \| Moderator: Zoe Harris
12:30 - 14:00	Lunch and networking
14:00: End