IN CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR ANDREW FORBES
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Professor Andrew Forbes, a physicist at the University of the Witwatersrand and head of its Structured Light Laboratory, has been awarded the R2.5 million Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award for his groundbreaking research into quantum information — a field that could revolutionise global computing.
The award, granted by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT), honours high-calibre scholars conducting internationally significant research with real-world impact. This year, OMT took the unusual step of granting the fellowship to two recipients, recognising both Forbes and University of Cape Town paediatric neurosurgeon Professor Anthony Figaji.
Forbes’s work takes an entirely new approach to quantum computing — technology capable of solving complex problems exponentially faster than today’s systems, without the enormous energy demands of current artificial intelligence. His goal is to make quantum computing a practical reality, unlocking advances in industries such as chemistry, pharmacology, finance, and logistics, while positioning South Africa as a global leader in this emerging sector.
“Prof. Forbes is approaching the question of quantum information from an entirely novel point of view, carving out a niche for South Africa to participate in this burgeoning sector,” said OMT chair Rebecca Oppenheimer. “Should he succeed, the world of computing will be revolutionised, and the South African economy stands to be propelled forward.”
To achieve this, Forbes will lead a young South African research team in collaboration with international experts from Huzhou University in China, Sorbonne University in France, and Monash University in Australia. Together, they aim to practically demonstrate a new method of managing quantum information.Forbes believes the impact could be transformative: “We would develop a quantum-literate workforce that realises our country’s immense human potential, sparking human and economic opportunities we cannot yet imagine.”
While OMT also recognised Prof. Figaji for his pioneering research in paediatric brain injury care, the fellowship firmly places Forbes and his team at the forefront of South Africa’s scientific innovation — with the potential to change the way the world computes and to secure the nation’s place in the next technological revolution.
The award, granted by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust (OMT), honours high-calibre scholars conducting internationally significant research with real-world impact. This year, OMT took the unusual step of granting the fellowship to two recipients, recognising both Forbes and University of Cape Town paediatric neurosurgeon Professor Anthony Figaji.
Forbes’s work takes an entirely new approach to quantum computing — technology capable of solving complex problems exponentially faster than today’s systems, without the enormous energy demands of current artificial intelligence. His goal is to make quantum computing a practical reality, unlocking advances in industries such as chemistry, pharmacology, finance, and logistics, while positioning South Africa as a global leader in this emerging sector.
“Prof. Forbes is approaching the question of quantum information from an entirely novel point of view, carving out a niche for South Africa to participate in this burgeoning sector,” said OMT chair Rebecca Oppenheimer. “Should he succeed, the world of computing will be revolutionised, and the South African economy stands to be propelled forward.”
To achieve this, Forbes will lead a young South African research team in collaboration with international experts from Huzhou University in China, Sorbonne University in France, and Monash University in Australia. Together, they aim to practically demonstrate a new method of managing quantum information.Forbes believes the impact could be transformative: “We would develop a quantum-literate workforce that realises our country’s immense human potential, sparking human and economic opportunities we cannot yet imagine.”
While OMT also recognised Prof. Figaji for his pioneering research in paediatric brain injury care, the fellowship firmly places Forbes and his team at the forefront of South Africa’s scientific innovation — with the potential to change the way the world computes and to secure the nation’s place in the next technological revolution.
