This panel comprises experts in quantum information science and technology (QIST) and social scientists studying the impacts of QIST on society. During the panel discussion, we will explore the current and future impacts of QIST on society, including topics of law, governance, privacy, security, defense, standards, science communications and the ethical and economic impacts of QIST. The aims of the panel include raising awareness of the impacts of QIST on society, building a community of informed stakeholders from various communities involved in QIST including industry, national laboratories, academia and government as well as identifying key issues that will drive future activities in this critical cross-section of science, technology, education, business and government.

The United Nations’ declaration of the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology has highlighted the need to strengthen global capacity for promoting public awareness and interest in quantum-related education and technological advancement. This is accompanied by the need for the preparation of a skilled QIST workforce, which begins with broadening and improving QIST education to inspire and prepare students to pursue these careers. Panel participants will discuss current and projected QIST workforce needs, as well as precollege and post-secondary education pathways to QIST careers. The panel will include representatives from QIST industries, research and development and academia. This dynamic conversation will welcome audience participation.

As quantum photonics moves from proof-of-concept experiments to deployable technologies, scaling remains a complex challenge. This panel brings together leading voices from quantum research, hardware development and commercial deployment to explore:

• What does scalability mean in quantum photonics?
• Where are the bottlenecks in integration, reliability and manufacturability?
• How can academia and industry better align to accelerate system-level maturity?
• What role do standards, packaging and component-level breakthroughs play?
• How close are we to widespread quantum networks or integrated quantum processors?

As quantum computing matures we want to discuss the field’s trajectory. In this panel we explore the current status, near-term milestones, the challenges of the transition from noisy to fault-tolerant quantum computers, including the long-term vision.

Discussion Topics:

• Current State of the Field: A candid assessment of where quantum computing stands today, across hardware, software, and algorithmic development.
• The Road to Quantum Advantage: Defining and measuring meaningful quantum advantage.
• Technological Approaches: Comparative insights into competing platforms.
• Key Challenges: Addressing fundamental limitations in coherence, error correction, control systems, and scaling.
• Timeline Outlook: projections for reaching significant quantum milestones in the coming years.

As quantum technologies move beyond the laboratory and into real-world applications, distributed quantum systems are emerging as a key frontier with transformative potential. This panel brings together leading experts from academia, industry and research institutions to explore the current state, future promise and inherent challenges of building and deploying distributed quantum systems.

Quantum networks promise to revolutionize how we process and transmit information, potentially enabling unprecedented capabilities in secure communication, distributed computing and sensing applications. However, the gap between laboratory demonstrations and deployable technology remains substantial. This panel brings together leading physicists and quantum technology companies to explore the fascinating intersection where theoretical quantum physics confronts practical engineering challenges. 

Our distinguished panelists will discuss the unexpected hurdles they've encountered when moving quantum networking principles from theory to practice. They'll share insights on increasing rate and fidelity of entanglement, developing reliable teleportation and error correction mechanisms over distance, building quantum data centers and wide area networks and constructing quantum testbeds. The conversation will highlight recent breakthroughs that are accelerating progress toward functional quantum networks and examine which applications are likely to demonstrate practical value first.