Anna Grassellino: Building the World’s Most Powerful Quantum Computer

at the United States government's renowned Fairmi Lab. She's a huge test before her, leading a team of two hundred scientists who are building the most powerful quantum computer in the world, but she has a broader mission as well, to use science to uncover the fundamental truths of the universe. I'm Malian Verva, and this is Seneca's on Women to here. We are bringing you one hundred of the world's most

inspiring and history making women. You need to hear. Dr Anna Grassolino is a native of Italy who first came to Fermi Lab as an intern in two thousand and four. Since then, she has won numerous awards for her research, including one for Early Career Scientists presented by President Obama. Today, her title is Director of the Super Conducting want of Materials and Systems Center at Fermi Lab. Listen and learn why Dr Anna Grassilino is one of Seneca's One Women

to Hear. I'm speaking today to Dr Anna Grassolino, renowned physicists who's working on the cutting edge of computing. Welcome, Dr Grassolino. Thank you. It's such a pleasure to have you with us, and I know we're going to learn a lot from our conversation. Yes, we will try. Now, you're an award winning physicist. You're the director of super Conducting Quantum Materials and Systems at Firmal Lab near Chicago. Now that's a lot for the average person to understand.

So can you help us unpack what we may not know about how Firmal Lab works? What is its mission? Why is it important to ordinary people? Thank you. Formula is a fundamental particle physics laboratory here Formula. But we studied the world in its most fundamental components, and to do that we build very advanced machines. This very large particle accelerators detectors where we actually collide the smallest scales particles,

so to study what are they made of? So what is what is the world around us made of where does everything come from? So to do this really we have to add ants is very complex technologies and why does it help society? Because in many ways, I would say so, first of all, understanding how everything works around us is foundational to progress in our society. The computers that are there are just in front of us, the phone,

medical instrumentation, diagnostic centers. Everything is based on the fundamental understanding of the laws of physics, and then from there we develop all these technologies. At the same time, as I said, the technologies that we develop to to to study these fundamental physics actually then had spin off implications

and applications in our society. Such for example, right outside of my window in my office here is the Tevatron, which was for for many years so the most important to the highest energy UH particle accelerator in the world. The technology which was foundational to these are what's called superconducting magnets, and these technologies that we developed here for a MITRA, but then pave the way for the magnets that today are in all magnetic resonance imaging UH instrumentation

in any hospitals or doctor's offices. So that's just one of the examples of how things that we developer from mental physics, then they become extremely important in everyday live in our society in general, I would say basic research and training of new generation in science will always have a positive impact in our society in the short medium and in the long term. Well, I think your reference

to imaging is something we can all relate to. So great gratitude for the work in science that's going on and that you're engaged in. I know when you talk about technology that one of your big tasks is to build the most powerful quantum computer in the world. What will this computer do? Uh? And why are you working to make it a reality? So this is a really new initiative and we are very excited. The formula is at the helm of this new what's called National Quantum Center.

It's one of the five Department of Energy quantum centers under the umbrella of the National Quantum Initiative to bring transformational advances in building up just like you said, the most powerful quantum computers. What can this computer do? Why are we doing this? So a quantum computer is very different than the computer that sits in front of us right now. I would say it's not like comparing a new car to an old car. It's like comparing an

airplane to a car. It's a computer that will take us to places where today's computer will never be able to take us. So, to give an example, a quantum computer, even the ones that are currently developed, which is really in the early stages of the technology, can perform some computations which even the most powerful of the classical supercomputer

would take millions of years. A quantum computer can perform with in in minutes, and so that is really gives the idea of what's so called the exponential speed up. So a quantum computer can solve certain class of problems which are not solvable today and will have impact in society in many many ways, from national security to solving some challenging problems in medicine, in physics, in biology, and

many many other fields. So interesting I wonder listening to you and knowing how engaged you are in this extraordinarily complex work, how did and aggress Seleno grow up into becoming the physicists you are. Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood, what it was like, what influenced you to make you the person you are today? Yes, thank you, for the question. I actually I am Originally I'm from Italy. I grew up in Marcella. It's a

it's a town in southern Italy. I moved to the United States later on for my PhD. But my family was from Marcella, so from Italy and has always been. That's where I grew up and has always been of great inspiration for me. Uh. They pushed me always to study and work hard, I would say, and and on my dad's side, I had some generation of medical doctors, and that I think inspired me to love science and

the impact that it can bring to society. On my mom's side there was more literature, poetry, which also has inspired the other side of me. I always loved, for example, Latin and philosophy. Um. There have been some key figures in my life. But if you ask me about my childhood, certainly my teacher in middle school. She was a mathematician, so she was my professor mathematics, and she was an extremely strong woman. She made me love mass and she I think she made an impact in my life to

push me towards science. She was really a tough woman, and she thought me that math and numbers are a vehicle to read the world around us. But they also can teach us about objectivity in life. You know, I'm always so amazed as I'm speaking to our guests to hear about the power of the teacher. And do you have mentioned that yet? Once again? I know that you lead a team of two hundred scientists, which just saying that, it seems a great deal to comprehend in everybody's working

at the cutting edge of computing. Yeah, you and your husband are raising three children. How do you manage this work life balance that all of us seem to be affected by. Well, I have to say, yes, it's certainly not easy. However, I first of all get a lot of help from my husband. I think we work really as a team. He's a scientist true, by the way, and so we are a team at work and at home.

So I think he has been instrumental really in uh making this a reality, the fact that we we are in it together, growing these three children and being successful with both of our careers. And I would say that also formula has helped me a lot because, for example, small things but really critical, we have a daycare on site, and so I was able to bring my kids here when they were little like three months old, and and and this way I didn't have to take a break

from my research, from my from my work. I could do research, be here and be with them at the same time. So and also all the support from formula then from my supervisors, uh to really be able to be a mom to my children, but at the same time continue without interruption to pursue my career cutting edge childcare as well. It's so interesting. Are any f your children interested in science? Almost definitely. I think all three of them, they really have aspirations already. They tell us

to become signed. There's all three. You and your husband are such a great example to them. I'm sure. Thank you, Thank you, senecas one hundred women to hear will be back after the short break. As a woman, have you encountered any obstacles in your studies or in your career? We have more women in science today than ever before, but it's still been a very difficult path. It certainly

was um somewhat difficult. I still remember the first day, uh So, I graduated in Italy actually an electronic engineering goodness, and then I came to the US to study physics for my PhD. But I remember the very first day I walked into the first class UH at the Engineering school at the University of Pizza in Italy, and I believe that we were something like six women out of a class of hundred eighty. So certainly it was difficult

being being a minority. All professors were always man and also later in, you know, during my work career, I would say all that it is still a man dominated the environment and field. But I think what really helped me is that I've always been very strong. I've always been you know, not intimidated, and I believed in my own strengths, and I've always at the courage to fight

to be heard. And certainly there have been also some figures in my career that I've held me a lot, like my supervisor who was my peach the advisor and later on actually became director of formula. The doctor Nigel Locker has always been an advocate for women in science and and and for helping the field become more diverse. Is it important to have more women involved in science the discovery? Do you see that that makes the difference? Absolutely?

How I would say, well, we can turn the question around and say what would the world have done without for example Medicurie or better Rubin, or Rita Levy Montalcini, or we can bring so many examples of so many women who have made history with their scientific discoveries. So so and maybe we should ask ourselves how much more would we have discovered already if the scientific field was

more inclusive and more diverse. I would say that in my experience, women having credible potential in terms of scientific talent, creativity, willingness and strength to always connect the dots and to get really to the bottom of things, or the ability to bring people together in our collaborative framework. Women are incredible all of these things, and science needs all of the above to to really progress and make discoveries. How can be better unlock that potential that women have in

the world of science. I think we have to try in all ways. I mean, um, we are trying very hard. For example, with this new center that we have here, reaching all the way even to elementary schools, to to to show everyone you know that that that that is you know, the role models, but also that science is for everybody. Bring students again at early stages of their education, into internships to really make people feel and women feel yes, I can. I can do it. It's not something that

it's only for a certain class of people. I can absolutely do this and I can see it hands on. I think that's one key component. And and here, as I said, the Fermila, we're trying all of this with the internships, sudden day morning lectures. We need to try in all possible ways. So encouraging to hear. Fermi Lab also brings scientists together from all over the world. How does work with people from so many different countries also

affect your outlook and the work product the outcome. Yeah, I would say that this is actually what made me fall in love with Fermila. I came here first as an intern um in in my young years, and and I that's what I fell in love with to see

that we we were building a firmila genormous machines. This is incredible complex detectors with many pieces that were coming from all different places around the world, and all the different people from many countries bringing so much diversity in the approach to problems, so you know, based on their

different educational system, background, way of thinking. So I think that's that's and it was really for me a way to see how science can unite the world towards you know, a noble mission, which is really let's understand the world

around us. Um So, I think it's it's very powerful, and I think in science is absolutely essential that the science, especially in a field like the one we are in, like particle physics, where we have to build such big and complex experiments, that that that we bring the old world together to do that, to to make these amazing discoveries.

You know, listening to you, I've been thinking about the fact that you're at the Fermail Lab and Enrico Fermil was the great world renowned Nobel laureate physicist, came from Italy to the United States make enormous contributions, and here you are, another Italian in the United States a family lab. Do you ever think about that? Absolutely every day. It's something that makes me extremely proud to know that actually an Italian of such an amazing stature like Rico Fermi

gives the name to to this, to this laboratory. And I can say that actually Italians are a really important component of formula. There is many of us, just like there's many other amazing scientists from many parts of of different parts of the world. Well it's all terroristic to here. Let me just ask you at the end of this conversation, with so much that's going on in the world now, a lot of it very difficult, what makes you optimistic? What gives you hope? Well, um, I can say the

science is what what gives me the most hope. Science for me means the pursuit of the truth. Uh. It makes me feel and believe that we are in a world where there are not only uncertainties, right, but there is there is certainty, there is truth and it's there for us to find them to look for. So I it really makes me feel um, you know, hopeful, and I look forward to the discoveries that will be able

to make at formula. But with this new quantum initiative because those I know that the scientific discuss is so we'll be able to change the world for better, Uh, in a practical way and also in an indirect way, because I feel it is a privilege that we can train on your generation of young scientists that not only will make this important discovery, but they will also be able to approach everyday life and problems in a way that will bring positive change. Beautifully said, and thank you

so much. Dr anag Gresslino. You're doing such extraordinary, award winning work and as you said, this work helps change the world for better. Thank you for doing it, and thank you for being with us today. Thank you for inviting me. Dr Gresslino has a way of making science incredibly beautiful. Here are three things I took from that conversation. First, she reminds us about why we do science. Understanding how everything around us works is foundational to aggress she says.

So the research done on a particle accelerator, for example, leads to the development of super conducting magnets, which leads to the MRI machines used in hospitals and doctor's offices. Second, Dr Grassolino shows again why girls need to see women scientists. Her own role model was a middle school teacher, a mathematician, as Dr Grassolino says, she was a really tough woman who taught me that math and numbers are a vehicle

to read the world around us. Finally, she tells us that despite the chaos of current days, we can find comfort in science in a time of uncertainty. Science helps reveal certainty. There is truth, she says, and it's there for us to find and to look for. Tune in next week to hear about our next featured woman and discover why she's one of Seneca's one hundred Women to Hear. Seneca's one hundred Women to Hear is a collaboration between the Seneca Women Podcast Network and I Heart Radio, with

support from founding partner PNG. Have a Great Day.