Translated with DeepL
The second networking event for member societies was opened and moderated by SATW board member Prof René Hüsler. According to Hüsler, the large number of visitors confirmed the interest of both the member societies and SATW in strengthening cooperation and the exchange of information between them. A brief introduction of the attendees served to highlight interests, in particular for SATW thematic platforms and the support of young people interested in technology.
Edith Schnapper, head of SATW's promotion of young talent, began by analysing the general situation of young people in Switzerland and the next generation of STEM talent. According to the new Pisa study, young people in this country are still doing quite well. Although maths skills have fallen slightly, knowledge of the natural sciences has increased. Nevertheless, there is no all-clear. It is still important to strengthen the technical skills of children and young people - after all, they are the future citizens. The new Seco study also favours STEM promotion to combat the shortage of ICT specialists, electricians, electronics technicians, metalworkers, construction and finishing specialists.
In Switzerland, girls and boys show the same level of interest in technology, science, maths and IT up to the age of 11 or 12. However, in secondary school, far fewer girls choose a STEM education. On the one hand, this is because (occupational) stereotypes crystallise. On the other hand, because girls often misjudge their STEM skills if they lack the appropriate role models, inspiring role models and supporters in their environment. It is therefore worth introducing children to STEM subjects at an early age, getting them excited about technology at school and outside of school, breaking down stereotypes and reducing fears of contact. Various initiatives by the SATW and its member societies address this, such as the "jetz" youth laboratory, the "IngCH" school programme, the ProAero youth camp and Electrosuisse's" New Generation Network".
The majority of SATW's support programmes are aimed at both genders, such as the established, Switzerland-wide TecDays and the new Go4IT events. The Swiss TecLadies programme is aimed particularly at young women. They are assigned a mentor from the world of work who also serves as a possible role model. This year marks the fourth round of the mentoring programme, which is unique in Switzerland. With tech workshops, personal development coaching, company tours and much more, talented, interested young women receive targeted support. This scales SATW's commitment from information (e.g. Technoscope) to coordination (TecDays, Go4IT) and on to university and professional life. In the career orientation phase, secondary school pupils are also addressed, whereby the focus is on realistic perspectives rather than false expectations. Because the environment has a major influence on career choices, the SATW also supports initiatives aimed at teachers, companies, associations, guardians and others. With the Educamint.ch platform, for example, the SATW provides access to over 1000 STEM programmes for schools and leisure activities throughout Switzerland.
The organising team had chosen a special topic from the SATW's latest Technology Outlook, which was presented at the event: What are quantum computers (QC) and how do they work? Physicist and SATW board member Prof Peter Seitz succeeded brilliantly in providing a clear and comprehensible answer. The technology is still in its infancy and nobody knows which approaches will be the most promising. PCs and smartphones will not be replaced by QCs, Peter Seitz emphasised, but the two will complement each other in certain areas. The potential computing power of QCs is so spectacular that billions are currently being channelled into their development worldwide.
But why the hype? The best conventional computer chips, with their semiconductor tracks just a few nanometres wide, will soon reach their physical limits. The next step: computing with the smallest particles (known as quanta), i.e. photons and electrons. However, strange laws apply in quantum spaces: For example, a bit of a conventional semiconductor circuit can only have 2 states (0 and 1) and arithmetic operations are always performed sequentially. A quantum bit (QuBit), on the other hand, can simultaneously have the values 0 and 1 and an infinite number of values in between. Entangled QuBit systems in future quantum computers (see below) will be able to perform a huge number of arithmetic operations simultaneously, enabling them to process specialised algorithms much more efficiently than conventional computers. Science, governments and other organisations see great opportunities here: thanks to QC, the most difficult but practically significant problems could be solved within a few hours instead of years using "normal" computers.
There is only one catch, or rather several: The results of a quantum computer are not precise numbers; instead, they have to be painstakingly aggregated from the statistical results of many quantum calculations. In addition, most types of quantum computers only work at an ultra-low temperature close to absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin or around -273 degrees Celsius). The cooling effort is correspondingly high. But that's not all: there are quantum pairs that are linked like an invisible ribbon even over astronomical distances. Even Albert Einstein could not grasp this crazy effect of "entanglement", which is the central property of quantum computers today - a small consolation for mere mortals. Quantum entanglement was only proven in 2015 and crowned with the Nobel Prize in 2022.
And the "quantum leap"? In everyday language, this is used completely incorrectly in the sense of "very big change". It actually refers to an energetically tiny change inside atoms. One could even describe the quantum leap as the smallest change that nature ever allows.
In addition to the theory, Prof. Dr. Peter Seitz presented QC applications such as absolutely secure quantum communication, optimisation in logistics, finance, traffic control and personalised medicine. Quantum computers will probably have the greatest significance in the calculation of quantum processes themselves: Pharmaceutical and chemical products can be efficiently simulated and their therapeutic efficacy reliably predicted. The subsequent exchange of opinions reflected the great interest in the topics and initiatives presented. The tenor was unanimous: the discussion regarding common channels, best practices and funding approaches should be intensified. We would like to thank all participants and look forward to the next networking event!
