Quantum science and technology is growing by leaps and bounds as more physicists choose careers in quantum physics and new companies spring up to develop quantum processors and other devices.

In this episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast we meet Maria Violaris  and Ieva Čepaitė who are both doing PhDs in quantum science and technology – and we find out what drives their passion for working in the quantum world. Čepaitė is at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where she focuses on quantum computing from both the theoretical physics and computer science perspectives. Violaris is at the University of Oxford where her research looks at the foundations of quantum information with a special interest in quantum thermodynamics.

The week of 14–18 June is Quantum Week at Physics World, and we give a taster of the broad range of coverage that we will be devoting to quantum science and technology next week. You can also listen to a Physics World editor take our Harwell Campus quantum quiz, and see if you can beat his score.