"I always wonder, why do many young talents in STEM fields stop pursuing physics research after entering prestigious universities?" Recently, Academician Guo Guangcan, a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, expressed such sentiments during a dialogue with China Science Daily on "World Quantum Day".
Academician Guo Guangcan. Interviewee provided photo.
Domestic Quantum Computing Talent Pool Only Around a Thousand
Presently, there's a scarcity of quantum information science talent in China, with quantum computing experts being particularly rare. It's believed that globally, the number of quantum computing professionals is in the thousands, with only around a thousand professionals specializing in quantum computing domestically—a figure confirmed by Academician Guo Guangcan.
According to the latest "2023 Hurun China Cash Flow Management Report for High Net Worth Families," there are 2.08 million households in China with assets of tens of millions, and 133,000 households with assets exceeding a hundred million yuan. In other words, the number of quantum computing professionals in China is far less than that of billionaires.
Confronting the embarrassing reality of "far fewer quantum computing experts than billionaires," Guo Guangcan has posed the "Guo Guangcan Question." He remarked that many elite talents who excel in competitions like the International Physics Olympiad have excellent physics aptitude, making them suitable for fundamental physics research. However, once they are admitted to top universities through recommendations or examinations, many veer away from physics and opt for finance or business studies instead. Very few end up pursuing physics professionally, which he finds "truly regrettable."
The advancement of quantum information science and the rise of related technological industries have widened the gap in the demand for quantum computing talent. In 2020, the Ministry of Education established the quantum information science major for the first time, with the University of Science and Technology of China and the National University of Defense Technology becoming the first domestic universities to offer this major. In 2021 and 2022, six more universities successively introduced undergraduate majors in quantum information science. In March of this year, the Ministry of Education approved Hefei University of Technology, Xidian University, Taiyuan University of Technology, Fuzhou University, and Henan University to establish majors in "Quantum Information Science," bringing the total number of domestic universities offering majors in "Quantum Information Science" to 13.
Local talent cultivation is urgently needed
"The Ministry of Education's approval for universities to establish majors related to quantum science and technology will help cultivate more professionals in quantum computing. However, we still need to make efforts to attract more potential talents to the field of quantum information technology," Guo Guangcan said. He believes that various government departments and sectors of society should continue to take measures to encourage more talents to join the quantum information workforce. He considers local talent cultivation to be key.
He pointed out that in the past, due to the limited level of scientific development in China, it had to rely on importing talent or sending talent abroad for further education and training to gather scientific research strength. However, with the improvement of the country's scientific research level and the annual increase in research investment, "we now have the conditions to cultivate world-class young scientists domestically." Therefore, apart from attracting talent, it is necessary to strengthen the "hematopoietic capacity" by establishing and improving a talent training system to cultivate more internationally competitive research talents domestically.
This is precisely what Guo Guangcan has been doing. Throughout his academic career in quantum-related research, he has spent nearly 20 years on the "cold bench." When he received the first national "973" project in the field of quantum information in China in 2000, he was already nearing retirement age. Since then, he has attracted young domestic teams to engage in research related to quantum information technology through project layouts. At the same time, he has created favorable experimental and living conditions in his research group, allowing ambitious and capable students to fully realize their potential.
In fact, given the current international situation, cultivating local quantum technology talents also has objective requirements. In terms of funds, equipment, and personnel exchanges, China's quantum technology can only rely on self-reliance, and it is urgent to create an environment conducive to the growth of domestic quantum technology talents.
"We have the ability to cultivate research talents domestically that are comparable to international standards, and this has been proven," Guo Guangcan said. He suggested that in the future, two points should be adhered to: first, seize the forefront of the discipline and allow students to conduct research in cutting-edge fields; second, create a good academic atmosphere. "I believe we can cultivate more research talents with international influence."
While the US relies on big corporations, who does China rely on?
At the end of 2023, Alibaba DAMO Academy donated its quantum laboratory and transferable quantum experimental equipment to Zhejiang University; at the beginning of 2024, Baidu donated its quantum laboratory and related equipment to the Beijing Quantum Institute. The donation actions of these two technology companies are seen as a sign of China's technology "big players" divesting from quantum technology research.
However, in comparison, besides universities, in the US, tech giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are also major players in quantum science exploration. At the end of 2023, IBM even announced its 1000-qubit superconducting quantum chip, showcasing its strength in the field of quantum computing to the world.
"I think that Baidu and Alibaba stopping the development of quantum computers will have a certain short-term impact on China, but it will not affect the overall trend," Guo Guangcan said. Domestic major companies engaging in quantum-related research themselves have factors of following trends, and abandoning quantum research projects "may be because they found that it takes longer than expected to bring them to the market."
"Domestic quantum technology is still developing, and the overall trend will not change," Guo Guangcan said. Although Baidu and Alibaba have stopped the relevant research and development of quantum computers, this does not dampen the enthusiasm for developing quantum computers domestically. Currently, there are still many new companies working hard to industrialize and technologize laboratory progress and develop trial products.
He further pointed out that foreign quantum computers are mainly developed with the investment of large companies, while the development ecology of quantum computing in China should rely more on national guidance, state-owned enterprises, and quantum innovation companies coming together.
He noted that foreign countries have begun to integrate quantum computing with supercomputing system facilities, known as "quantum-super fusion"; some supercomputing centers in China are also attempting "quantum-super fusion" and have made some progress. He also told "Science China" that local governments across the country have attached great importance to the development of quantum technology, and many units are also preparing to develop corresponding basic research and technical research. Even some industries such as finance, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals are considering using quantum-related technologies to enhance their industry development levels.
"We may be slightly behind internationally in terms of quantum technology applications, but the development trend is unstoppable," said Guo Guangcan, expressing full confidence in the future as long as the talent pool keeps pace.
