2025-08-12 –, Cassiopeia
Language: English
We in Quantum Development (WIQD) is a growing community dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the quantum ecosystem. In this presentation, we will introduce WIQD’s mission and activities, share insights from our first Women’s Day Hackathon, and highlight why fostering an inclusive quantum community is essential for innovation and impact.
WIQD (We in Quantum Development) aims to build a thriving, inclusive network for professionals in quantum science and technology. During this 25-minute interactive presentation, we will briefly introduce WIQD and discuss the importance of DEI in quantum development. We will also share lessons learned from our 2024 Women’s Day Hackathon (https://www.wiqd.nl/event/womens-day-hackathon/), where participants collaborated to tackle technical and societal challenges in quantum. By reflecting on these experiences, we hope to inspire more people to get involved, collaborate across disciplines, and help shape an open, innovative quantum community. To make the talk interactive, we’ll use an e-tool to collect thoughts and ideas from the audience in real time.
The speakers, Nina & Jay, will be based in the Quantum.Amsterdam village tent, please feel free to drop by to meet them.
Nina originally comes from the Czech Republic where she studied Economics. She finished her MSc in Finance combined with an MBA in 2014 at Texas Tech University. She worked in the finance industry (KPMG and Lynx broker) in Prague and Amsterdam until she shifted gears into the quantum world by joining the Applied Quantum Algorithms research group of Leiden University as a management assistant. Nina loves being involved in an international community and bringing people together is her passion. The topic of inclusivity and equal rights is current for her as she has a young daughter and a son. She would love her children to grow up in a world where the opportunities are the same for both genders.
Passionate about advancing quantum innovation, Jay is both a vocal advocate within the quantum ecosystem and a connector across academia, tech institutions, and industry stakeholders—actively promoting collaborations and thought leadership. Known for his energetic approach and ability to translate mission‑critical technologies into scalable business impact, Jay continues to play a central role in making quantum computing more accessible globally. Outside work, he engages with the tech and automotive communities, blending curiosity, collaboration, and creativity in everything he does.
Jay works for Qblox, a Delft-based quantum tech company that builds electronics for quantum computers.