Quantum Computing Workshop at FreeYa Mind Campus

On February 27, 2025, FreeYa Mind Campus, in collaboration with the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași and IBM Quantum, organized a specialized Quantum Computing Workshop focused on hands-on training, real-world applications, and academic-industry collaboration. The event welcomed nearly 90 participants, including master's students, PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and senior academic staff, all united by an interest in practical quantum computing and its transformative potential.

Expert Contributions from IBM Quantum

The workshop was guided by leading experts from IBM Quantum, who offered in-depth technical instruction and live demonstrations using Qiskit, IBMʼs open-source quantum programming framework:

• Junye Huang, EMEA Workforce & Education Advocate & Global Lead for Quantum Coding Challenges (IQC, QGSS, QDC)
• Dr. Voica Rădescu, EMEA Lead & Manager, IBM Quantum Innovation Centers
• Vishal Bajpe, Engagement Manager, IBM Quantum Innovation Centers

Academic and Research Community Engagement

The workshop also benefited from the presence and insights of distinguished Romanian academics and researchers, who actively contributed to the exchange of ideas and future collaboration:

• Prof. Univ. Dr. Eng. fiz. Vasile Ion Manta, Technical University of Iași
• Assoc. Prof. Univ. Dr. Eng. Simona Caraiman, Technical University of Iași
• Prof. PhD Radu Claudiu Strugariu, Technical University of Iași
• Assistant Prof. PhD Otilia Zvorișteanu, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași
• Prof. PhD Lenuța Alboaie, Department of Computer Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași
• PhD Dragoș Lucian Isac and PhD Tudor Vasiliu, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romanian Academy

Their engagement further strengthened the link between institutional research priorities and the quantum innovation agenda.

Program Highlights

The agenda featured a 75-minute hands-on session introducing participants to IBM Quantum tools and programming with Qiskit, followed by a use case exploration segment covering applications in:

• Optimization
• Quantum Machine Learning
• Computational Chemistry

These segments demonstrated the real-world impact of quantum computing across diverse scientific and industrial domains.

Strategic Vision