Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed, will deliver remarks at the main conference.

Senator Jack Reed is a long-time supporter of advanced science and technology.  As a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Reed delivered a $1 million federal earmark to help establish the Quantum Information Science Research Initiative at URI to advance the goals of the National Quantum Initiative Act by geographically expanding opportunities in QIS research, collaboration, and workforce development.

Through his work as the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and related subcommittees focused on cybersecurity, strategic forces, and emerging capabilities, he has championed investments in quantum information science, secure communications, and next-generation computing. Senator Reed has helped advance federal support and university–industry partnerships that are positioning Rhode Island and the nation to benefit from the emerging quantum revolution

RI Senator Victoria Gu, will deliver remarks at the main conference.

Senator Victoria Gu represents Rhode Island’s 38th District and serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies and as a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, where she helps shape policy on advanced computing, AI, and innovation. Senator Gu’s work focuses on harnessing transformative technologies—including artificial intelligence and quantum information science—to support responsible innovation, economic growth, and Rhode Island’s role in the future of computing. She brings a professional background in software engineering and data science to her leadership on emerging technologies.

Prof. M. Suhail Zubairy is a leading authority in quantum optics and laser physics, with research interests in quantum computing, quantum informatics, and sub-wavelength atom localization. He has co-authored “Quantum Optics” and “Quantum Computing Devices,” and recently published “Quantum Mechanics for Beginners.”

Prof. Zubairy received his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1978 and has held significant academic positions at the University of Arizona and the University of New Mexico. He joined Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad in 1984, where he was the founding Chairman of the Department of Electronics. Since 2000, he has been a University Distinguished Professor at Texas A&M University, holding the Munnerlyn-Heep Chair in Quantum Optics.

His numerous accolades include the Willis E. Lamb Award, the Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize, and the George H. W. Bush Award for Excellence in International Research. Prof. Zubairy is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America, and an elected member of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.