Building for the Future: The Quantum-Nano Centre

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Watch a new video about the state-of-the-art Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre, now nearing completion at the heart of the University of Waterloo.

The Quantum-Nano Centre building at dusk
As construction of the new Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre nears completion at the University of Waterloo, excitement is growing among scientists and university leaders about the revolutionary research that will happen at the facility.

"You're entering into a building that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world," University of Waterloo President Feridun Hamdullahpur says in a new video about the state-of-the-art building.

The future headquarters of the Institute for Quantum Computing and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology will provide scientists with the cutting-edge laboratories and collaborative opportunities necessary to make important breakthroughs, says IQC Executive Director Raymond Laflamme.

"We want Waterloo to become the hub of quantum information science and technology around the world," says Laflamme.

Scheduled for completion in 2012, the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre is being constructed to the highest scientific standards, including stringent controls for vibration, temperature, humidity and other sources of "noise" detrimental to quantum information research. The building has also been designed with innovative collaborative spaces, enhancing the spirit of cross-disciplinary research that is essential for breakthroughs in this new and ever-evolving field.

The building exemplifies the vision of its namesakes, Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis, of "the importance of fundamental science, and applying it in solving problems important for society," says Laflamme.