Tartaglia, Diana (2025) Quantum Technologies perception for laypeople. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

The second quantum revolution is expected to bring new technologies into use in the next 5 to 10 years. Investments in Quantum Technology (QT) research in Europe and all over the world include outreach and educational actions towards several sections of the public to create awareness on the subject and interest that will hopefully lead to a quantum-ready workforce. Nonetheless, outreach efforts on science and technology must be accompanied by some evalua- tion to avoid fertile ground for myths and inaccurate theories (misconceptions). Public engagement evaluation techniques have been largely employed to assess the efficacy of outreach activities and their impact on the public in several scientific domains, but the literature is still quite scarce in relation to QT, especially in relation to the Italian public. Moreover, we can not overlook the need for a framework to guide the production and selection of QT-related outreach materials, as much as it happens with educational and scholastic materials. Our aim is to employ public engagement tools to investigate people’s perception of QT industrial applications. During outreach events (conferences, exhibitions, etc.) organized by the Italian Quan- tum Weeks coordination, CNR-INO, and other national research institutions, we collected people’s opinions using questionnaires designed expressly for this purpose. Results of this investigation will give insight into laypeople’s interpretation of the subject and will help identify critical aspects that might influence the development and implementation of quantum-based technologies in the future. These insights will help with the creation of a more public-oriented outreach plan that will contribute to reaching the goals established by the Quantum Flagship in terms of a quantum-ready workforce, industrial investment, and, more generally, creating a quantum-ready society. In addition, working together with a group of experts in physics education we developed a framework for the selection of quantum-related outreach videos. This is a step forward towards the development of a shared framework for materials and tools aimed at the general public to increase scientific literacy without falling into common misconceptions.

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