Quantum Computing

Ready for the **FIRST Loudoun CyberTech Event of 2026** \- featuring the **Loudoun County CISO**?!?! Join us on **Tuesday, January 13, 2026,** at **Honor Brewing Company** at **42604 Trade West Dr, Sterling, VA 20166**! Want a custom name tag to enhance your networking opportunities? Register here and yours will be ready at the door: https://share.hsforms.com/1J8_8W2-vSe2WSqQbnxxz0Adwxz1 Are you prepared for what cyber threats will define 2026? Which ones matter and which should be ignored? What does modernization look like in 2026 at the intersection of risk, cost, and security? Join us for an exciting evening with the **Loudoun County CISO** and our spotlight speaker, **Dr. Elizabeth Di Bene**, as she explores these questions and addresses what to expect in cyber in 2026! **Dr. Elizabeth Di Bene** is the **CISO** for **Loudoun County Government,** overseeing information security strategies with a focus on risk management, data analytics, and SaaS. She brings more than 20 years of cyber leadership experience across the federal government and private sector, including roles at **CACI International,** **the U.S. Department of Justice,** and the **U.S. Marine Corps** where she also served in cyber leadership roles at **Marine Corps System Command**. Dr. Di Bene is nationally recognized for her expertise in network and information security and is a frequent industry speaker and FinOps ambassador. Join us next month to meet **Dr. Elizabeth Di Bene** to learn what should matter most for cyber in 2026! **Agenda** 5:30 Social hour and networking begins 6:10 Welcome 6:20 Spotlight Speaker - **Dr. Elizabeth Di Bene** 6:50 Q&A 7:00 Open Mic & Networking Continues 7:30 Adjourn

Title: Quantum Enhanced Digital Therapeutics: Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Health Informatics for Mental Health Date: Jan 24 2026 13:00 - 15:00 EST Summary: This talk offers an accessible overview of how quantum computing ideas may inform the next generation of digital tools for mental health. Ishan will sketch potential roles for pattern discovery, adaptive interfaces guided by human-computer interaction, and approaches to protect patient privacy, using examples drawn from public literature. The focus is on what is feasible now, what remains experimental, and how careful evaluation can guide responsible progress in health informatics. The session closes with open questions and a practical framing to help the community explore this space. An overview of where quantum computing could add value to digital mental health tools today, what is still experimental, and how human-computer interaction and health informatics can guide responsible evaluation. Speaker: Ishan Shivansh Bangroo is a graduate researcher at Penn State University in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. His work sits at the intersection of health informatics and human-computer interaction, with a growing interest in quantum-inspired methods. He studies adaptive clinical interfaces and trustworthy analytics for mental health support, aiming to make digital tools clearer, safer, and easier to use.

Gaming, AdTech, EdTech, Media Streaming, and FinTech are just a few of the workloads where high-availability cloud infrastructure matters. Whether you’re doing battle daily in one of these spaces or are just curious about ways to improve performance, meet us in Reston for an in-person discussion on bare metal cloud architecture. You’ll meet our product lead, James MacKenzie, who will walk through how modern bare metal serves as a control plane for hybrid and private cloud architectures. **What we will cover** * Ways to leverage bare metal, containers, and orchestration for better performance and predictable economics; * Real-world hybrid, disaster recovery, and data-intensive architectures; * Our approach to eliminating ingress and egress fees. **Who should attend** * Cloud architects and platform engineers; * DevOps professionals and infrastructure leads; * FinOps stakeholders managing data-heavy or hybrid workloads. **Why attend** This is a technical, architecture-first conversation. You will leave with a clearer understanding of high-availability cloud infrastructure and how organizations are scaling cost-effectively. Food and drinks will be provided. Space is limited to keep the discussion interactive.

Title : Blockchain in the Quantum Era: Risks, Opportunities, and the Future of Secure Decentralized Systems Time: Feb 1 2026 8:30 am - 10:30 am EST Abstract: As quantum computing advances, the security foundations of blockchain systems face significant transformation. Blockchain relies heavily on classical cryptographic algorithms to ensure trust, authenticity, and immutability. However, quantum computing introduces new computational capabilities that could challenge these cryptographic primitives. This talk explores the risks posed by quantum technologies to existing blockchain systems, examines emerging post-quantum cryptographic standards, and highlights new opportunities for building more secure, scalable, and efficient decentralized infrastructures. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how blockchain can evolve in the quantum era and what steps are required to prepare for the future of secure digital ecosystems. Speaker: Prof. Snehal Laddhaa is a dynamic and results-driven professional with a strong background in Electronics and Computer Science, specializing in AI, data analysis, and IoT applications. With over 17 years of teaching experience at reputed institutions, both in India and internationally, including Australia and the UK, Ms. Laddha has made significant contributions to academia through research publications and patents. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Ramdeobaba University, Nagpur, where they lead innovative academic programs and foster student engagement. Her work spans product development, project management, and cross-functional collaboration, with notable achievements including the grant of a utility patent for "An IoT-Powered Smart Trash Bin" and 17 design patents. She has also received accolades such as the Best Paper Award at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is a certified Australian Qualified Professional Engineer. She is a reviewer of reputed international journals. Her Google Scholar profile highlights a strong publication record in embedded systems, AI, and IoT applications. This is a virtual event. Zoom registration form will be provided for registered participants in email and will be posted in the event forum by Feb 1 2026 7:30 am EST.

**Agenda :** * 4.30 to 4.45 PM ET: Food and Networking * 4.45 to 5.30 PM ET: "Building Smarter Agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio (Jan 2026 Edition)" Hello Everyone! Please join us for our Jan 13th edition of the AI-ML MeetUp. **Please note this is an in-person meeting and light refreshments/food will be provided.** **Title:** Building Smarter Agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio (Jan 2026 Edition) **Description:** Discover how to design intelligent, task-driven AI agents using **Microsoft Copilot Studio**. Learn how to connect copilots to enterprise data, workflows, and external systems. Explore real-world use cases, best practices, and architecture patterns for scalable agents. Get hands-on insights into what’s new in the Jan 2026 edition and what’s coming next **Location:** The meeting will be hosted in the Applied Information Sciences ( AIS ) office in Reston, at 11440 Commerce Park Dr # 600 · Reston, VA. The location is also right off the Silver Line metro's Wiehle-Reston Metro Station. **Parking:** Parking is paid and can be validated at the AIS office reception. We will meet in Room Lake Anne. We hope to see you all there!!!!

Title: On Quantizing General Relativity Date: Jan 17 2026 Noon -14:00 EST Summary: Why has a century passed without anyone developing a persuasive, broadly accepted, and experimentally predictive unified theory of quantum mechanics and general relativity? In this presentation, Terry will begin by explaining how Einstein’s post-1911 adoption of the Minkowski concept of an infinitely smooth spacetime fabric destroyed any possibility of such a merger by making spacetime infinitely classical, and thus inherently incompatible with the quantum reality of all forms of matter and energy. Next, Terry will discuss how the concept of infinitely smooth spacetime, in combination with similarly cost-indifferent field theories, wasted a century of theorizing by loading empty space with non-existent, asymptotically infinitely energies that exist only briefly in very-high-energy physics. Finally, Terry will discuss how recognizing that quantum observation is nothing more than acceleration. Terry reframes general relativity as the remnant of relationships remaining after massive observation creates localized instances of spacetime. Speaker: Terry Bollinger is a computer scientist with BS, MS, and professional degrees from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Hello everyone! Who doesn't love Pizza! We'll be meeting at Andy's Pizza in Tyson's Galleria and doing some old-fashioned networking, beer-drinking, and pizza-eating. I guarantee a fun time, or else your pizza is free :) **Location:** Andy's Pizza, Tyson's Galleria, 2001 International Dr, McLean, VA 22102 **Overview:** Join us at AI Innovators Network for our upcoming meetup in Tysons dedicated to exploring the latest trends in Artificial Intelligence. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a professional, or someone curious about the intersection of technology and AI, this event is perfect for networking, learning, and sharing insights. Connect with like-minded individuals from DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland as we dive deep into the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation driving innovation and progress in Artificial Intelligence.