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Quantum physicist Michelle Simmons a guest at Donald Trump’s state dinner

UNSW physicist Michelle Simmons, whose quantum computing research is getting world attention, was a guest at Donald Trump’s state dinner for PM Scott Morrison.

Michelle Simmons in her lab at UNSW. Picture Renee Nowytarger / The Australian
Michelle Simmons in her lab at UNSW. Picture Renee Nowytarger / The Australian

In today’s Higher Ed Daily Brief: quantum mateship, ACU’s book of the year

Michelle Simmons at Trump’s dinner

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison was feted at Donald Trump’s White House state dinner at the weekend, one name stood out among the people from the Australian side of the guest list. Amid the expected bevy of business chiefs — Gina Rinehart, Kerry Stokes, Macquarie Bank’s Shemara Wikramanayake, Anthony Pratt, Twiggy Forrest — was physicist Michelle Simmons, who leads the effort at UNSW to build a quantum computer from silicon, accompanied by her husband Thomas Barlow.

No-one gets invited to a White House State Dinner without a reason. The only other science connected Australian who was present was the first Australian in space, Andy Thomas, a former astronaut who flew on the space shuttle. His presence is easily connected with the Trump administration’s plan to put humans back on the moon in the 2020s, and Australia’s possible role in the effort.

No doubt Simmons’ attendance at the dinner will highlight Australia’s growing role in quantum technology. While Simmons, a former Australian of the Year who heads the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation & Communication Technology, gets a lot of attention, she is just the tip of a large, world-leading research effort in quantum technology across many Australian universities. Maybe science and business leaders in the US are paying increasing attention.

No excuses for not reading

The Australian Catholic University has named a book of the year for 2020, This Is My Song, a novel by Richard Yaxley. Every new student will be given a copy of the book which is a three-generation story of a grandfather who survives Auschwitz and whose grandson later revives a song written before the war. Students starting their course at ACU next year — whether they are trainee paramedics, aspiring lawyers or student maths teachers — will be expected to read the book, the university says.

“First year courses across the university will draw on the cultural and social themes of the novel as a way of broadening student perspectives,” the university said in a statement.

The chair of ACU’s academic board, Margot Hillel, is behind the initiative.

“It’s important that all students have a grounding in, and an understanding of, the liberal arts because it engages them with the humanity of people. There is evidence that shows that fiction-readers have higher degrees of empathy and that’s something we want for all our students,” Professor Hillel says.

About 10,000 books are expected to be handed out during next year’s orientation, with both hard copy and e-book options available.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/higher-ed-daily-brief/quantum-physicist-michelle-simmons-a-guest-donald-trumps-state-dinner/news-story/467421ffc6a1c5d7a6c9ab89d818769f