Research | Department of Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics hosted its inaugural “Quantum Week” from June 8 to 12, 2026. Organized by Janani Lakshmanan and Bjørn Kjos-Hanssen, with presentations by Sarah Widiasih Post (UHM), Jack Woehr (Seiden Group, IBM), Sho Morishita (U. Osaka), and Konomi Higo (U. Osaka), Quantum Week brought together graduate students, undergraduates, and faculty in mathematics, computer science, oceanography, and physics to demystify quantum computing and the associated “quantum revolution.”

The aim was not an intensive workshop or academic conference but rather an outreach event with the hope of empowering quantitative thinkers to understand how their skills can be applied to the growing need for researchers in this area.

Day 1 of Quantum Week began with a relaxed breakfast, in which participants chatted over coffee and pastries about their backgrounds in quantum information theory. Some participants had taken courses in quantum mechanics but were curious about the applications of the physics principles to the burgeoning engineering field. Others had heard about the buzz surrounding quantum, especially with applications to cryptography and cybersecurity. This was followed by a loosely structured philosophical discussion facilitated by Janani, who defended her quantum automata theory dissertation in May. Dr. Sarah Widiasih Post joined the group to present an accessible introduction, “What you need to know about quantum mechanics.”

Day 2 featured the only remote presenter of the entire week, Jack Woehr, who leads Seiden Group LLC, and is one of IBM’s most prominent Qiskit Advocates and Quantum Champions. He discussed quantum computing and its philosophical origins and possible consequences, while also sharing several open-access resources to build experience with quantum computing. Fulbright Scholar Bogdan Norkin shared how inspiring he found Jack’s experiences, comparing the excitement he felt with the advent of the personal computing revolution.

Day 3 saw the arrival of Quantum Quest!, a “serious game” developed by researchers from the University of Osaka. Drs. Sho Morishita and Konomi Higo premiered the first English language version of their game, designed to introduce experts to the societal consequences of quantum computing. Quantum Week was not only the English-language world premiere, but also the first non-expert, quantum-curious audience for the game. Participants enjoyed their experience, and initial reports from the post-event questionnaire indicate that the game was engaging and insightful. Konomi shared, “We received a wide range of thoughtful comments and perspectives,” and expressed their gratitude for the university’s “support, kindness, and hospitality during [their] visit to Hawaii.”

Day 4 was added by popular request, in order for participants to acquire some hands-on experience in quantum computing. In this session, participants split into smaller groups based on their interest level and experience. One group discussed the consequences of the “no-cloning theorem,” one of the most significant obstacles to quantum algorithm design. Another group experimented with the IBM Composer, a visual interface to build quantum circuits, while still others tackled the quickstart resources provided by Jack Woehr. By the end of the session, a few participants had sent their jobs off to the Cloud, to be run remotely on one of IBM’s quantum processing units around the world. Participants mused on the significance of quantum error correction, as some of their simulated efforts to simply add two numbers together proved to be rather incoherent!

In all, Quantum Week demonstrated that there is a budding quantum-curious community at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, and that there are a variety of cross-sectional discoveries in store for them. Whether the week planted seeds for future research collaborations or simply gave participants a new lens with which to experience emerging technologies, the department hopes to build on this foundation for the future.

A professor wearing a kukui nut lei stands in front of a whiteboard, on which she has written: 1. State Spaces 2. Observables 3. Measurements

Sarah Widiasih Post summarizes the postulates of quantum mechanics.

Two researchers stand in front of a large Japanese-style Zen garden, complete with Koi pond, also featuring tropical plants and bright Hawaiian sunshine.

Sho Morishita and Konomi Higo explore the East West Center’s Japanese Garden on the day of their arrival from Osaka.

A selfie taken by an engineer wearing an Aloha shirt and a white-and-black kukui nut lei.

Image Credit: Jack Woehr, shared with Janani Lakshmanan following Day 2’s session

Jack Woehr wearing a lei sent by the UH Manoa Department of Mathematics as thanks for his readiness to share.

A room of about 15 Quantum Week attendees watching a presentation displayed in the bottom right corner, on which a screen capture of the home page of a quantum information theory course is projected.

Quantum Week Participants listen to Jack Woehr introduce the Fundamentals of Quantum Information course by John Watrous, IBM

Two creators of Quantum Quest, wearing flower leis, stand surrounded by participants in their session.

Participants in quantum week.

Four game boards, represented by yellow, red, green, and blue, at the end of a card game where the yellow team has achieved victory.

Image Credit: Konomi Higo

One team’s finished “world state” after their first ever game of Quantum Quest!

Math department chair and faculty member, Malik Younsi, was recently awarded the 2026 Frontiers of Science Award from the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) for his collaborative paper “Rigidity theorems for circle domains” joint with Dimitrios Ntalampekos.

The criteria for the award is: “For the 2026 selection, scientific works in both basic and applied research are chosen in 40 areas of the three basic science fields (mathematics, theoretical physics, and theoretical computer and information sciences) represented at the ICBS. A scientific achievement must meet the following three requirements to be considered: (1) it must have been published in the last 10 years; (2) it must be of highest scientific value and originality and have made an important impact on its area; (3) it must have been evaluated and accepted by scholars in its area. The goal of this award is to encourage young scholars to look to the frontiers of basic science, set goals to obtain breakthrough results as early as possible, and contribute wisdom and energy to humankind’s study of the mysteries of the natural world.“

You can find a UH news summary here.