British Computer Society (BCS)

The Success of Pathfinder
The BCS was the lead partner in the Pathfinder project which brought together a number of leading institutions and researchers in the EC culminating at a Conference in 1998 in Helsinki and a set of recommendations for EC funding in Quantum Computing research and for a 'Network of Excellence'. These recommendations, accepted in 1999, led, it is understood, to some 30 million ecu becoming available over a three year programme as a part of a Proactive EU Initiative, to fund quantum computing projects and the Network of Excellence, provided suitable proposals are forthcoming. The first round, following the first year call for proposals, has now been completed.

In 1998, the European Commission financed Pathfinder, an investigation into Quantum Information and Computing, lead by Brian Oakley, and Charles Ross, as a result of a Cybernetic Machine specialist Group/BCS initiative. This investigation highlighted qubit/quantum algorithmic computing and quantum secure communication known as quantum cryptography as key areas, see Appendix I:The Importance of Quantum Computing and Secure Communications. A book published by Springer Verlag, London, based on the findings of the Pathfinder Project, Quantum Computing and Communications, edited by Michael Brooks, was also published in May 1999. The Technical Board has taken the view that this is an important topic for computer professionals and information scientists.

The Pathfinder project was hosted by the Oxford Centre for Quantum Computation website, where details of project partners, copies of project newsletters and Pathfinder report were stored. This site provides access to the latest developments world wide in Quantum Computation.