July 9, 2026 -- The quantum future will be written in more than one language. Rice University and Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) announced “Frontiers of Knowledge,” a new international symposium series built to accelerate discovery in the most consequential fields of science, June 18 at VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology and startup event.

“It will bring together some of the greatest minds in this space from across the globe, driving home the point that today’s greatest challenges do not stop at borders and neither should their solutions,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches said.

The announcement drew a crowd to the Rice booth at the Paris event where DesRoches was joined by PSL President El Mouhoub Mouhoud. The two universities have been partners since 2024, building collaborations in education and research that span the Atlantic. Remarks also came from Caroline Levander, Rice’s vice president for global strategy; Jennifer Heurley, PSL’s vice president for international affairs and cooperation; Carlo Sirtori, head of PSL’s master’s program in quantum engineering; and Emilia Morosan, Rice professor of physics and astronomy.

“To inaugurate this new international rendezvous, we have chosen to dedicate the first edition to one of the most exciting scientific frontiers of our time: quantum science and technology,” Mouhoud said. “Why quantum? Because some of the most transformative innovations of the coming decades will emerge from this field. Yet these breakthroughs will not happen by accident. They require environments where the world’s best minds can come together, challenge assumptions, share ideas and explore new directions.”

Mouhoud said the initiative draws its strength from the complementarity of the two universities, both of which pair excellence in fundamental science with innovation ecosystems capable of carrying discoveries from the lab through technology development, entrepreneurship and industrial partnership to societal impact.

The inaugural symposium, which will be hosted by the Rice Global Paris Center in spring 2027, will focus on cavity quantum electrodynamics, or cavity QED, the study of how light and matter interact at the most fundamental level. It is organized by Rice professor Junichiro Kono, director of the Smalley-Curl Institute, and Sirtori. Advances in the field are expected to seed technologies ranging from highly secure communications and energy-efficient computing to medical imaging, precision sensing and new materials for energy storage, health and sustainability.

“Our goal for the inaugural ‘Frontiers of Knowledge’ symposium is to bring together the world’s leading researchers in cavity quantum electrodynamics to explore the scientific opportunities emerging at the intersection of quantum science, materials and photonics,” Kono said.

Once a specialized corner of atomic physics, cavity QED has grown into a deeply interdisciplinary field, Kono noted, now connecting condensed matter physics, chemistry and quantum information science. Kono said that by convening that global community in Paris, the organizers aim to stimulate new collaborations, accelerate discovery and reinforce Rice’s role as a global hub for frontier research.

“We want participants to leave not only with exciting new scientific ideas but also with lasting international partnerships that continue to shape the future of quantum science,” Kono said.