XXXI International Summer School “Nicolás Cabrera” Review

The XXXI International Summer School of the Nicolás Cabrera Institute (INC) was held from August 31st to September 5th, 2025, at the “La Cristalera” residence of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) in Miraflores de la Sierra, under the topic “Quantum Photonic Technologies: A New Realm for Communication and Information Processing.” This edition coincided with the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025 and addressed the transformative role of quantum photonics in communication, metrology, imaging, and computation.

The event brought together 54 young researchers, mainly doctoral and postdoctoral students, from different countries such as Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, UK, Austria, Slovenia and even Australia, alongside leading international experts in quantum optics and photonics. The lectures were complemented with industry perspectives, poster sessions, and selected oral contributions.

The School focused on the potential of quantum photonic technologies to enable secure communication, advanced metrology, powerful computation, and novel imaging techniques. The program was structured around five main themes:

Sources of quantum light
Quantum communication & storage
Quantum simulation & computation
Quantum imaging
Optical neural networks

The lectures combined academic and industry perspectives, with startups presenting pathways from fundamental research to commercialization.

Eleven internationally recognized researchers delivered lectures across the five core themes:

Alexander Lvovsky (Oxford, UK)
Gerhard Rempe (MPQ, Germany)
Costanza Toninelli (CNR, Italy)
Andrea Litvinov (IQOQI, Austria)
José Capmany (UPV, Spain)
Alejandro González Tudela (CSIC, Spain)
Ignacio Cirac (MPQ, Germany)
Eleni Diamanti (CNRS, France)
Sarah Thomas (Oxford, UK)
Hugues de Riedmatten (ICFO, Spain)
Hugo Defienne (CNRS, France)

Additionally, representatives from quantum startups shared insights into innovation and commercialization:

Quandela: Niccolo Somaschi (CEO)
Qilimanjaro: Marta P. Estarellas (CEO)
Multiverse: Roman Orús (CSO)
LuxQuanta: Samael Sarmiento (R&D Engineer)

Beyond lectures, the School fostered interaction among participants through poster sessions, oral presentations, and social activities, including cultural and recreational events. These activities provided a relaxed environment for scientific exchange and networking.

The XXXI edition of the Nicolás Cabrera International Summer School offered an enriching program at the frontier of quantum science, underlining the promise of quantum photonic technologies for future technological revolutions. It successfully promoted international collaboration, high-level training, and professional growth for 54 young researchers.