Quantum Revolution: Unlocking the Power of a Transformative Technology

Quantum computing has the potential to upend just about everything–from healthcare to manufacturing to aerospace.

Join television journalist Hari Sreenivasan (“PBS NewsHour,” “Amanpour & Co.”) for a lunch and discussion with leaders in the field from Yale, UConn, and QuantumCT at CT Tech Week about how quantum technology is likely to change our world. Panelists include Claudia Reuter, Director of the Roberts Innovation Fund at Yale; Sam Samdani, Executive Director of QuantumCT; Stephany Santos, Executive Director of the Vergano Institute for Inclusion at UConn; and Matthew Enjarlan, a professor of physics at Southern CT State University.

REGISTER HERE: https://lu.ma/ctquantumevent

This event is a part of CT #TechWeek – a series of events hosted by Non-Profits, The City of Stamford, VCs, and startups to bring together the tech ecosystem.

Meet Our Panelists:

Sam Samdani – Executive Director, QuantumCT

Sam Samdani, PhD, is a Senior Expert at McKinsey’s Chemicals & Agriculture Practice where his responsibilities include leading the specialty chemicals service line in the Americas and bringing thought leadership across a range of complex knowledge domains to clients active in the various segments of advanced materials and downstream/specialty chemicals markets. He also enjoys the privilege of helping clients reset their all-too-human intuitions about value curation – not just value creation – opportunities by combining a select few disruptive technologies at the intersections of the worlds of bits and atoms, e.g., 3D printing, internet of things, nanostructured materials, next-gen genomics, and data-driven advanced analytics and algorithms for machine learning. Prior to joining McKinsey in 1995, Sam worked at McGraw-Hill as an Associate Editor with Chemical Engineering, a monthly technical publication covering developments in chemical and allied process technologies and government regulatory affairs. He received his BS in chemical engineering from Yale University, and his PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Rochester

Claudia Reuter – Director of The Roberts Innovation Fund

Recognized by the Boston Business Journal as a “2016 Women to Watch in Science and Technology” and as a Changemaker by HUBWeek, Claudia is an experienced entrepreneur, corporate executive, and board director.  She previously served as Senior Vice President, Digital Services & Labs at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where she led innovation and digital transformation efforts following the acquisition of her first startup company.  In 2018 she left Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to join Techstars, first as a Managing Director where she led investments in additive manufacturing and sustainable packaging tech companies, and then as General Manager, Americas East where she took on responsibility for accelerators on the East Coast and in Canada.  Her first book, “Yes, You Can Do This! How Women Start Up, Scale Up, and Build the Life They Want” (Wiley 2020) debuted as a #1 New Release Bestseller on Amazon in 2020 for Business & Entrepreneurship. Claudia is also the creator and host of the podcast “The 43 Percent” which has been featured on Apple’s New & Noteworthy lists and has been selected as an editor’s choice on multiple platforms.  She was a member of the Board of Directors for Lessonly, a venture-backed SaaS company, until its successful exit in 2021, led a new company within a venture studio, and is an active member of her community.

Dr. Stephany Santos – Executive Director of the Vergnano Institute for Inclusion

Dr. Stephany Santos holds multiple degrees in Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering, including a Ph.D. from UConn. She’s received prestigious fellowships, including from the Ford Foundation, and earned recognition as a Woman of Innovation by the Connecticut Technology Council. Her leadership extends to founding Engineering Ambassadors at UConn and co-developing programs supporting underrepresented women in STEM. With over a decade of teaching experience, she’s dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM education. Dr. Santos has served on various committees, including the Provost’s Search Committee and the ASEE Minorities in Engineering Division, showcasing her commitment to both the university and the engineering community.

Matthew Enjalran

Dr. Enjalran has been at Southern CT State University since fall 2003, where he has taught undergraduate and graduate level physics courses and actively pursued research in theoretical condensed matter physics. He also has experience in the private sector and in secondary education.

Matthews research interests include, theoretical condensed matter physics of strongly correlated systems with an emphasis on frustrated magnetism and Fermi/Bose systems.