The Sunday Mail
John Tseriwa
4IR Simplified
A FEW weeks ago, I delved into the fascinating world of quantum computing. Little did I know that an entire ecosystem of quantum technology enthusiasts exists in our motherland.
I had the chance to chat with a visionary quantum physicist by the name of Farai Mazhandu. He is a PhD candidate at the Colorado School of Mines and a research affiliate at the University of Washington, specialising in quantum materials and devices.
To quote him, “I use small currents and large magnetic fields to study nanoscale behaviour of materials in quiet, cold and dark environments. Our goal is to find better materials to make fault-tolerant quantum computers.”
Alongside his academic pursuits, he is a tech entrepreneur, founder and convenor of the Africa Quantum Consortium, IBM Qiskit advocate, a speaker and mentor. Before quantum tech, he worked as a teacher and engineer.
Mr Mazhandu is also an accomplished writer and blogger with a vision to harness Africa’s unique perspectives and use cases to improve lives globally.
He shared an inspiring story about a young girl creating her destiny.
Meet LORRAINE TSITSI MAJIRI (LTM), a young woman from Zimbabwe who defied all the odds to become a successful quantum developer and researcher.
Lorraine became passionate about quantum computing after joining the OneQuantum Africa community.
She went on to win the Oxford Quantum Circuit’s One Tech World 2021 competition, became a mentor at the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good and now serves as the president of OneQuantum Africa.
Her passion for quantum computing extends beyond personal success, as she is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting equity in the field, especially for girls.
In this interview, Lorraine shares her insights into the challenges facing quantum computing researchers today and offers advice to students starting to explore this exciting new technology.
Grab a cup of coffee as you are inspired by Lorraine’s African quantum computing success story.
John Tseriwa (JT): Who is Lorraine?
LTM: My name is Lorraine Tsitsi Majiri, and I am a recent graduate in IT (information technology) from the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) in Zimbabwe. I currently serve as the second president of OneQuantum Africa — the largest quantum tech community on the continent. I am a quantum developer and researcher at Stafford Computing, United States. I am a founding member of QZimbabwe with Farai Mazhandu, Esther Munakandafa and Muvaki Nhlema. My passion is raising awareness about quantum computing and its benefits to others, especially girls.
JT: What inspired you to pursue a career in quantum computing?
LTM: My journey into quantum computing was unexpected and fun. I was already working towards my undergrad in IT without an idea that there was something like quantum computing until a friend introduced me to Farai Mazhandu during Covid-19 as he was hosting weekly calls to talk about quantum and the role of Africa. I was excited to know that other Zimbabweans, including high school learners, were already in the space. The OneQuantum Africa community was a welcoming place for me and full of inspired people from various backgrounds, who were open to mentoring and guiding beginners. They shared resources and connected members with other quantum enthusiasts from across the globe and with open-access resources. Furthermore, the availability of quantum computers in the cloud from providers like IBM has lowered entry barriers into the field and made me believe I could jump onto this.
JT: Tell us about your journey to quantum computing.
LTM: Realising the potential of this new technology and getting ready support from the community and free access to resources have made it possible for me to record fast achievements. In a short time, I became an instructor and mentor at QWorld, won the Oxford Quantum Circuit’s One Tech World 2021 competition, landed my first internship as a quantum AI engineer and recently mentored at the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good. It wasn’t easy — I had to get better every day.
I believe quantum computing is our chance to right past wrongs regarding equity and access. If the world is to be better, we need more girls to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technoplogy, Engineering and Maths). One of the projects I am most proud of and currently leading — with support from Rebecca Chimheno (IT lecturer — Chinhoyi University of Technology), Cloud Nyamhere (department chairperson, Physics and Telecommunications — Midlands State University) and Farai Mazhandu (PhD candidate in Physics — Colorado School of Mines/University of Washington) — is bringing the African quantum tech community to partner in the United Kingdom-led International Network for Sensor and Timing Applications in Quantum Technologies (INSTA-QT).
This collaboration focuses on exploring the use of quantum tech in improving societal problems in water and sanitation and climate change, which are issues predominantly affecting girls on our continent. Moreover, there is an opportunity for researchers to grow their quantum skills and expertise. Contributing to such ambitious projects is possible today in the quantum tech ecosystem, and I find it fulfilling.
To give a complete picture, quantum computing represents only one facet of the broader technological transformation spurred by the ongoing quantum revolution. This second wave of quantum advancements also powers breakthroughs in precision sensing, secure quantum communication and conceptualisation of a future quantum internet. These distinct yet interconnected areas leverage on the peculiar properties of quantum physics, offering capabilities far surpassing those of their classical counterparts.
JT: How has your background in computer science helped you excel in the field of quantum computing?
LTM: My background in IT at CUT has undoubtedly provided a solid foundation for learning quantum computing.
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In summary, courses in programming skills in languages such as Python, an understanding of classical computing and foundational mathematics — linear algebra, probability, complex numbers, systems thinking and computer architecture basics — have served me well so far.
While everyone can jump at the quantum computing opportunity, it is a highly specialised field that often requires additional, more specific training beyond a general IT education. This is why I am considering further studies. In that regard, I have been offered a place at the University of Sussex, with partial funding, and am looking for well-wishers who can support me and cover the funding gap. Reach out to the writer if you can help.
JT: Can you share your experience as a mentor at NYUAD’s International Hackathon for Social Good Quantum Computing and United (UN) Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? What were some of the most exciting projects you saw?
LTM: As a mentor from April 27 to 30, 2023, I participated in NYUAD’s International Hackathon for Social Good Quantum Computing Hackathon. The hackathon seeks to develop innovations and ideas for using quantum computing to accelerate achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It was a fantastic experience to contribute to such an esteemed event with other global leaders. I had the opportunity to meet many people I had virtually worked with on various quantum projects.
I went to the event unsure of what more I could contribute to such a top event. I found the experience extremely useful and learned a lot. Seeing how draft ideas turned into professional pitches in less than 48 hours was amazing. The most significant benefit of the event was the informal side and all the conversations with new people. I met many interesting people, heard their stories, learned their cultures and shared my unique perspectives and the beauty of Zimbabwe.
My most exciting projects included one focusing on clean water and sanitation and industry innovation and infrastructure through quantum computing. The challenge was to design an optimised solution for an environmentally friendly and robust water distribution network. Another important project in the context of Zimbabwe focused on crop rotation optimisation for sustainable and improved yields in agriculture.
JT: What sort of quantum technology is the most interesting to you? What are some of the most promising applications of quantum computing in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
LTM: Quantum computing is good at problems where classical computing is less efficient, computational complexity scales exponentially, and the simulation of nature. People are exploring a few thoughts that could have significant implications for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 2 — Zero Hunger: designing new molecules and materials, leading to better fertilisers and genetic engineering to increase agricultural yield and promote food security.
SDG 3 — Good health and well-being: drug discovery and biomedical research — modelling complex molecular interactions at an unprecedented scale and speed, leading to breakthroughs in pharmaceutical research.
SDG 7 — Affordable and clean energy: design new materials for better solar cells or batteries or new ways to harvest and generate power. Additionally, optimising power grid management is a complex problem with which quantum computing can assist.
SDG 9 — Industry, innovation, and infrastructure: enhance logistical efficiency, optimise traffic systems and improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes.
SDG 11 — Sustainable cities and communities: optimise complex systems like traffic flow, waste management and smart grids, leading to more sustainable cities.
SDG 13 — Climate action: create more accurate climate models, leading to better predictions and more effective interventions to combat climate change.
SDG 14 — Life below water and SDG 15 — Life on land: managing and analysing large-scale environmental data, leading to better conservation strategies and understanding of biodiversity.
Quantum computing is still in its infancy, with only noisy devices available today. Its practical applications are still being explored, and more work needs to be done before its impact can be fully realised.
Overall, the potential applications of quantum computing are vast and varied, making it an exciting field to study and develop.
JT: Quantum computing is still a relatively new field compared to classical computing. What are some of the biggest challenges facing quantum computing researchers and developers today?
LTM: There are still many challenges, but fast progress is being made. I will focus on software-related challenges in quantum computing because that is what I work on.
A few quantum algorithms can offer a substantial speedup over classical ones, Shor’s and Grover’s being among the most famous. Developing new quantum algorithms and proving their advantage over classical ones today is vital to get practical value from current hardware and preparing for a future when fault-tolerant quantum computers become available.
The quantum computers available today are so noisy that they are termed noisy-intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices, hence, suffer from errors. Finding more efficient and feasible error correction codes and fault-tolerant schemes is critical to get to scalable, practical quantum computers.
Much research is ongoing to build robust quantum hardware platforms and, as quantum hardware evolves, so does the need for software and programming languages that can efficiently use this hardware. Developing high-level quantum programming languages and software that can deal with the peculiarities of quantum computing is essential for the software engineer.
Lastly, new techniques and algorithms to implement quantum key distribution (QKD), post-quantum cryptography, hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, quantum networking and distributed quantum computing are open research areas.
JT: As someone who has had some success in the field, what advice would you give to students just starting to explore quantum computing?
LTM: Quantum technology is a field of vast potential, open to all, regardless of their background. My journey, with no initial grounding in physics, is a testament to this. If you are intellectually curious and eager to learn, quantum could be your next exciting frontier.
To all interested, start your quantum journey by joining a quantum community to find support. The world is now well-connected and you can seek help quickly. Attend virtual webinars, conferences and workshops that focus on your areas of interest. Learning the basics of quantum computing might initially seem overwhelming, but do not be discouraged. This is a field where even the experts are constantly learning.
Here are some practical steps to get started:
- Educate yourself: Understand the basics of quantum physics and quantum computing. My personal favourite is the Qiskit textbook, available for FREE online.
- Online courses: Platforms like edX and Coursera offer comprehensive quantum computing courses. For instance, MIT’s “Quantum Computing Fundamentals” on edX is suitable for professionals, whilst “Introduction to Quantum Computing” by QubitbyQubit, targeting everyone from high school and above, is a fantastic entry point. Moreover, communities like QWorld run virtual workshops worldwide and are open to everyone.
- Learn a quantum programming language: Familiarise yourself with quantum programming languages like Qiskit, Q# or Cirq. IBM’s Qiskit has numerous tutorials to get you started.
- Join quantum computing communities: OneQuantum Africa, QZimbabwe, Qiskit, Q-munity and Women in Quantum, among others.
- Find a mentor or mentorship programme: Sign up for mentorship programmes in the communities that you join. Connect with experts from Zimbabwe and beyond on LinkedIn and reach out. I am happy to connect, chat and help where possible.
And remember, it is okay to struggle. I have faced challenges in my journey, as have many others in the field. The road to mastery in quantum is challenging, but the rewards — both in terms of personal growth and potential impact — are immeasurable. Do not hesitate to seek help. In this journey, you are never alone.
QZimbabwe is organising a quantum computing winter school, so, please, contact me via e-mail at [email protected] to register your interest and sign up for updates.
John Tseriwa is a tech entrepreneur and a digital transformation advocate focusing on delivering business solutions powered by 4IR technologies. He can be contacted at: [email protected] or +263773289802.
