What kind of researcher wins the satirical Ig Nobel Prize for discovering that dead magnetized cockroaches behave differently from living ones? What kind of man comes up with the idea of entangling microscopic tardigrades with quantum systems? What kind of person emigrated to Singapore out of curiosity and a healthy spirit of adventure and now says, “I only intended to stay for five years – but that turned into almost 20”?
Anyone who talks to him immediately understands: Rainer Dumke, Professor of Physics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), is passionate about his field of research, quantum sensing and quantum computing, but he also thinks outside the box. And he thinks strategically: he was drawn to the Southeast Asian city-state because it offered him the best opportunities after studying nuclear physics and completing his doctorate in Hanover, as well as postdoctoral positions at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, USA, and at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen. “There was an opportunity to set up a research group at NTU at the same time, the Center for Quantum Technologies, a research center for quantum physics at the National University of Singapore, was founded. I was fortunate that my wife supported me in everything. She already knew the city from her childhood and could well imagine living there.”
When Tardigrades Are Coupled with Qubits
And so, over the years, Dumke built up a research group that has now grown to 15 members. He frequently collaborates with researchers from other disciplines – for example, when it comes to cockroaches or tardigrades. The two research projects mentioned at the beginning may sound bizarre at first, but both were serious scientific investigations with clear objectives: Using cockroaches, Dumke and his former physics colleague Prof. Tomasz Paterek investigated why certain animal species are able to sense magnetic fields. The most important finding: The experiments showed that the tiny magnetic particles present in animals are not suitable for perception or orientation in the magnetic field. Instead, the results point to a quantum chemical mechanism of magnetic field perception.
The other project addressed the question of whether a living organism can be coupled with superconducting qubits—artificial quantum systems that operate at extremely low temperatures and make quantum computers particularly powerful. It was found that the tardigrade influenced the state of the qubits, thus actually becoming part of the system.
Precise Measurements and Targeted Funding
His interdisciplinary collaborations enrich Dumke's daily work, in which he usually deals with other – no less exciting – topics: “I conduct research on quantum sensors, especially atomic interferometers. These are extremely precise measuring devices that work with the material waves of atoms. We have also developed a gravimeter, which we used to create a gravity map for parts of Singapore.” The highly sensitive measuring device reacts to differences in density, such as those caused by large metal masses or liquids deep underground. It also makes it easier to observe processes inside volcanoes – for example, when a magma chamber is filling up and an eruption could be imminent. In a volcanically active region such as Southeast Asia, this could be of great importance.
The tropical city-state offers excellent opportunities for research projects with practical relevance: “Singapore is an El Dorado for research,” enthuses Dumke. “The country has virtually no natural resources, so the six million inhabitants are its only wealth. The government wants to provide them with the best possible conditions so that they can be productive. This requires research, which is why science is strongly supported.” Funding is very targeted: “Decisions are made which areas of technology or knowledge should be specifically developed – such as quantum technology. Substantial financial resources are then made available for these areas to turn them into key technologies in the long term.”
A Cultural Hub
Optimal conditions for a quantum physicist. Dumke also feels very much at home in his adopted country: “Singapore is a hub influenced by very different cultures. It's Asia light, so to speak: highly Westernized in many ways, but still typically Asian. You can communicate easily in both English and Chinese. That's why people from all over the world work together productively there. That's what makes it so exciting.”
Perhaps Dumke will soon be able to add another to the numerous international collaborations: Last year, he participated in the Global Technology Forum for the first time to explore opportunities for collaboration with the TUM Campus Heilbronn and other members of the Joint Global AI Research Hub: “I am definitely open to it. If, for example, quantum technology is expanded in Heilbronn, there will certainly be overlaps—especially in the field of superconducting qubits.”