iXcampus announces the launch of the Alain Aspect Chairs to strengthen Franco-Quebec quantum innovation

iXcampus, in partnership with Institut d’Optique Graduate School and the University of Sherbrooke, announces the launch of the Alain Aspect Chairs. This ambitious initiative aims to bring together two complementary academic and industrial ecosystems with a shared goal: promoting the French-speaking culture of innovation.

The creation of the Chairs was officially unveiled during the 2nd Alain Aspect Symposium, “Quantum & Climate”, co-organized with Quantonation. The event highlighted the crucial role of international collaborations in advancing both research and education in the strategic fields of quantum science and photonics.

In France: Light and Quantum Science & Technology
Led by Institut d’Optique Graduate School and iXcampus, this Chair will focus on:

• cutting-edge research in photonics and quantum technologies,
• developing training programs that integrate the societal and environmental impacts of innovative technologies.

In Quebec: Quantum Information Processing Systems
The University of Sherbrooke will lead this Chair, with priorities including:

• applied research in collaboration with companies specializing in various types of quantum computers,
• innovation geared toward concrete industrial solutions.

A project built on two pillars:

• Joint training programs: French and Quebec students will benefit from a shared curriculum covering the full spectrum of photonics and quantum sciences, from plasmonics to microwaves.
• A unified steering and mentoring committee: chaired by Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize in Physics 2022, the committee will include Antoine Browaeys (CNRS, Laboratoire Charles Fabry), Alexandre Blais (Institut quantique, University of Sherbrooke), Christophe Jurczak (Quantonation), along with representatives from iXcampus, Institut d’Optique, and the University of Sherbrooke.

With the Alain Aspect Chairs, iXcampus reaffirms its role as a central hub for French-speaking photonics and quantum innovation, showcasing the strength of transatlantic collaboration in advancing research, education, and technological progress.