This summer, CQIQC supported Quantum Research Day 2025, its first-ever student-led conference. Organized by U of T graduate students Byung Ha, Max Bridgewater, and Nicholas Sullivan, the event provided a platform for U of T graduate students to share their work, connect with peers, and learn from leading voices in the field of quantum information and quantum control. The full-day program featured student talks, poster sessions, and a special panel with invited speakers from academia, industry, and research institutes: Professor Nathan Wiebe (University of Toronto), Dr. Duncan England (National Research Council), Allison MacDonald (D-Wave), and Tom Ginsberg (Beit). Their diverse perspectives opened conversations about the different pathways students can pursue after graduate studies.

We spoke with one of the organizers, Byung Ha, an international student from South Korea who works with Professor Boris Braverman building an optical atomic clock in the Department of Physics. Byung shared that Professor Braverman and Shira Jackson, a Postdoctoral Fellow in his group, encouraged him to join the organizing committee. Once on board, he was driven by a central question: How to make this event meaningful?

“This was what motivated us to invite a diverse range of speakers, to pick talks that would not overlap in topics, and to host a panel session with questions about career,” Byung explained. While he admits there were many worries during the planning process, the outcome was more than worth it: “Despite the challenges, the day of the conference was extremely rewarding. I think the concerns ultimately came down to whether the attendees would like the event. So when I saw a group of students talking with the speakers or when I saw active conversation between people from different departments during the coffee and lunch breaks, I had the impression that the participants were really engaged with and enjoying the event and that made me quite happy (and extremely thankful to everyone who showed up)!”

The event also emphasized inclusivity, aiming to include speakers from different backgrounds, whether be gender, ethnicity, or departmental affiliation, and it highlighted the importance of building a stronger, more diverse community of quantum researchers at U of T. Looking ahead, the organizing team hopes future editions will expand across departments, continue fostering interdisciplinary exchange, and strengthen CQIQC’s role as a hub for graduate student leadership and collaborations.