Marine Corps Capt. Christian Wachter's is a student at the Naval Postgraduate School. His research revolves around studying the effects of light modulation through electromagnetically induced transparent media. He observes how light propagates through gaseous cells under different environmental conditions. His work aims to develop reliable quantum storage devices, contributing to advancements in quantum technologies.
These technologies have potential applications in quantum communication, encryption, and storage, impacting various sectors, including defense and national security.
Capt. Christian Wachter's research revolves around studying the effects of light modulation through electromagnetically induced transparent media. He observes how light propagates through gaseous cells under different environmental conditions. His work aims to develop reliable quantum storage devices, contributing to advancements in quantum technologies.
These technologies have potential applications in quantum communication, encryption, and storage, impacting various sectors, including defense and national security.
"How does a quantum computer work? Well, it's sending around maybe photons, qubits, you know, typically in the form of photons, but maybe it has to be routed in a particular way we have to send it over here, but wait for some other event to happen before this moves on. And so that's where the quantum memory would be incorporated. What he is working on is how do we do that for extended periods of time."
The reason why I chose to pursue research in the quantum sector was basically that I wanted to learn more about the quantum technologies being being explored today. Going to NPS provided me an avenue to pursue that further education in the field. Just being here has enhanced my capability to apply quantum solutions to operational problems.
In the race in the quantum sector, it is incredibly important for the U.S. to maintain abreast of its adversaries for multiple reasons. A lot of experts have theorized that the benefits of achieving and realizing quantum technologies will be life changing and just the possibility of that being true in turn, the cost of not beating our adversaries is just too great for us to allow that to happen. So it's incredibly important for the U.S. to continue investing and continue innovating in the quantum sector.
The most impactful thing that I think I've benefited from here at Naval Postgraduate School has been the experts that we have on staff here, the professors, and then also my peers too. And the diverse range of students that attend Naval Postgraduate School. So ultimately, it's the networking and everything I've gotten from the networking, all the contacts I'll be able to take away to my next position and future positions after that to continue to leverage those individuals when I have questions about problems or anything in the future.
So as I return to the Fleet Marine Force, and especially with my next assignment, all the relationships I've developed here, NPS will be incredibly beneficial for follow on assignments. The insight and the experts that I have met here have been incredibly influential and just having them as a backdrop to reach back to will definitely continue to advance my understanding of the research I'm doing here and how to apply it towards future problems that I face at my follow-on commands.
The Department of Defense and the Department of Navy need to innovate by more closely collaborating with the private sector, because I believe that the private sector is in a better position to more rapidly produce technology that is at the edge of what the competition is providing. And if we're able to harness those technologies, we are putting ourselves into a better position in confronting that current threat, that future threat, putting us into a better position as a country and putting us in a better position as a nation.
I believe that quantum technologies can impact all industries and specifically within the Department of Defense and national security. The benefits of quantum advances may impact complex problems within anything from acquisitions to communications. Specifically, I think the largest return on investment would be in the field of encryption and not only encrypting our own messages and information, but decrypting our adversaries as well.
