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Emerging Quantum Technologies Summer School 2025
Summer School 2025: Emerging Quantum Technologies Tickets, Mon, Jul 14, 2025 at 8:30 AM | Eventbrite
The very first Summer School on Emerging Quantum Technologies took place this July in the sun-soaked coastal city of Kalamata, Greece, and set the stage for what promises to be a landmark annual event. Organised by the meLAB post-doctoral researcher Dr. Stavroula Kapoulea (University of Glasgow) and Dr. Ioanna Kriekouki (CQO of the Paris-based quantum device manufacturer Viqthor), the School ran from 14–16 July 2025 and drew a diverse mix of students, researchers, and industry experts eager to dive into the future of quantum technologies.
Over three packed days, participants explored everything from scalable quantum computing architectures and cryogenic device physics to advances in quantum communication. The atmosphere was vibrant and collaborative, with computer scientists, physicists, and engineers all bringing their perspectives to the table. Conversations flowed easily across disciplines, reflecting the spirit of openness and exchange that is so essential in such a rapidly evolving field.
The talks were a real highlight, offering a wide range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in quantum technologies. Prof. Carmen G. Almudéver (Technical University of Valencia) shared a system-level view of quantum computing, showing how hardware and software must co-evolve to achieve scalable machines. Prof. Christian Enz (EPFL) provided insights into cryogenic semiconductor devices, exploring the opportunities and challenges of designing electronics capable of operating at the ultra-low temperatures required by quantum processors. From industry, Alberto Gomez Saiz, Principal IC Engineer and team lead at Quantum Motion, gave an eye-opening overview of advances in cryo-CMOS technology and how classical semiconductor engineering is beginning to intersect with quantum physics. Dr. Kaveh Delfanazari (University of Glasgow) then presented his group’s work on hybrid superconducting–semiconductor quantum devices, focusing on the potential of voltage-controlled logic for scalable quantum technologies. Adding a different flavour, Dr. Anatoly Kulikov (ETH Zurich) delivered a TEDx-style presentation that blended humour with intellectual depth, making complex concepts both engaging and accessible. The programme concluded with Prof. George T. Kanellos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), who gave a compelling overview of Greece’s rapidly growing quantum communications ecosystem, highlighting both national strengths and international collaborations.
The School wasn’t just about formal talks, though. The first evening featured a lively poster session, where young researchers presented their work and exchanged ideas with senior academics and industry specialists. Two PhD researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Persefoni Konteli and Nikolaos Makris, took home the first and second place poster awards, respectively. On the second evening, participants gathered for a relaxed dinner by the sea, giving everyone the chance to continue discussions informally and build new connections.
By the end of the three days, the feeling was clear: the Summer School had been more than just a conference. It was a launchpad for new collaborations, a showcase of cutting-edge ideas, and a reminder that the quantum technology community is at its best when academia and industry come together. With such a strong debut, the Emerging Quantum Technologies Summer School looks set to become a key meeting point for the quantum community in the years ahead.
Dr Kapoulea commented on the event:
“It was truly inspiring to see such energy and engagement throughout the three days. The talks were fantastic, the discussions were lively, and the enthusiasm from students and early-career researchers was amazing. We are deeply grateful to all our speakers, participants, and supporters who helped make the first edition of the Summer School such a success.”
She also highlighted why community matters in this field:
“Building a network of young researchers and practitioners in quantum is vital. It’s about more than just exchanging ideas — it’s about creating lasting connections, sparking collaborations, and supporting each other as we tackle the big challenges ahead. These relationships will grow with us and help shape the future of quantum technologies.”
meLAB ‘Away Day’ 2025
The meLAB group recently enjoyed its annual ‘Away Day’, focusing on learning, networking, and ‘team building’ through a combination of guest lectures, discussions, and some novel physical challenges. This was topped off with a well-earned group dinner in a delicious Mexican restaurant.
The day began with fascinating talks delivered by:
- Professor Qammer Abbasi, Professor of AS&C at JWSE and Special Adviser to the Scottish Government Technology Committee: University of Glasgow – Research – Advanced Research Centre – ARC Research – ARC Introducing – Qammer Abbasi
- Dr Matthew Leaper, Student Enterprise Support Officer/ Adviser | Co-Founder and Managing Director of Education Evolved. Currently based at the Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow: Pathfinder Career Narratives 39: Co-Founder and Managing Director – The Auditorium: a research culture and researcher development blog
- Dr Evi Bali-Balatsou, Research Psychologist | Lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University: Evi Bali-Balatsou – Glasgow Caledonian University
Professor Abbasi amused everyone with ‘How to Supervise Your Supervisor’, aiming to help PhD students navigate the most important relationships of their career – that with their primary PhD Supervisor. It offered a witty yet insightful taxonomy of ‘types of Supervisor’ and engaged the audience with a short survey; including giving the Supervisors a ‘right to reply’ and share their own experiences and expectations.
Dr Leeper spoke about his highly varied, atypical, and fascinating career from student of History to tech start-up founder, healthcare tech innovator, and ultimately, ‘enterprise advisor’ to students and ECRs from University of Glasgow who are looking to exploit and disseminate the results of their research commercially. Again, Dr Leeper was a highly engaging and entertaining speaker, holding the attention of all – especially those meLAB with aspirations to run a company someday; or indeed, those who already do!
The group then headed to Community Circus Paisley, as recommended by the multi-talented meLAB PhD student Antonia Pavlidou, where they tried a variety of circus skills ranging from trapeze – only for those not faint of heart! – silks (for acrobatic movements), juggling, unicycling, tightrope walking, and more. The staff at the Community Circus were extremely patient and endlessly enthusiastic teachers, ensuring that even those who had been reluctant felt some accomplishment.
To cap it off, the group headed to popular city centre Mexican restaurant Topolobamba for some well-deserved drinks and an assortment of scrumptious ‘tapas style’ small plates to suit every taste. A delicious end to an enlightening, fun, and memorable day!
Gesture Controlled Delta Robot
Hello there,
Nice to meet you! I am a robot member of meLAB. I have lots of names: gesture-controlled delta robot, duck picker, crane machine, doll machine. People are calling me whatever they are having in mind. I am a robot that can follow your hand movement. When your fingers close, my gripper will also close. This video shows how I work:
I am always welcome at engineering events, such as our School Open Day of James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow.
Read more: Gesture Controlled Delta Robot
Scientific Figure-Making
Video created and presented by Dr. Hadi Heidari.
Fabricated Contact Smart Lens
Contact lenses have evolved enormously during the past two decades. Their uses have shifted from ordinary vision correction platforms to wearable sensing devices. They are now being called “Smart” or “Electronic” contact lenses. They have certainly featured a great deal in many Hollywood movies, such as “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” and “Minority Report”. They have also featured in two different Black Mirror episodes.
These clever devices can soon become a reality. In our group, we have just developed a proof of concept contact lens that can be used as a healthcare platform. The aim is to use this lens for monitoring vital human signs. So far, we have demonstrated the successful integration of antennae on a curved PDMS substrate. Further details of this exciting work can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.201900190
Photovoltaic Technology
We all know that converting the Sun’s energy into useful electricity can help in the sustainable development of nations with transitional economies. But these are large scale installations. Can photovoltaic technology, which is responsible for converting the Sun’s energy to electricity, be used for generating milli or even microwatts of power? This is the power typically needed for wearable and implantable electronic devices. Such devices can be used to monitor vital human signs, such as blood pressure, temperature… etc. In our group within the microelectronics lab, we have been looking into using tiny PV cells for powering implantable electronic devices. Some of our findings are available here: https://doi.org/10.1109/JERM.2019.2937970
IEEE’s 4th student design competition 2019-2020
Our team of four undergraduate students from various engineering disciplines participated in IEEE’s 4th student design competition 2019-2020. IEEE Circuit and Systems Society (CASS) allows undergraduate students to propose and execute Electrical Engineering related projects. The key aim of this project was to find a solution to a real-life problem using circuits and systems. Our team is from region 8 (Europe, Africa, and the Middle East) and has progressed to the second stage of the competition which takes place at the regional level. In order to compete at the international level, one team from each region will progress to the finale.
Read more: IEEE Circuit and Systems Society Student Design Competition (2019-2020)