WIQD 2024 Wrapped: A Year of Quantum Growth and Achievements

It is officially the first week of 2025! As we settle back into our routines and shake off the January blues, let’s take a moment to look back on our successes over the past year.

For WIQD, 2024 was our best year yet! Not only did we grow as an organization and create impact, but our work was also recognized by key players in the quantum field.

WIQD 2024 Wrapped

Last year, we hosted eight events, spending over 1,380 minutes with our amazing community. We were inspired by five different voices from the quantum world:

• Tzula Propp taught us how to be good mentors.
• Rebecca Saive encouraged us to focus on our unique paths.
• Federica Mantegazzini shared her experiences as a woman succeeding in science.
• Ghazaleh Ghobadi showed us how to tell our own stories.
• Ysalis Mallédant inspired us to form DEI committees at our workplace.

In January and November, we connected at our Winterfest drinks and learnt that “Design really is everywhere” during the Dutch Design Week.

Our flagship event, the third Annual Symposium titled Empower, Diversify, Include: The Quantum Innovation Toolbox, was a success! Over 100 attendees joined us to discuss:

• Equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Maintaining work-life balance and preventing burnout.
• Fostering neurodiversity in professional spaces.
• Using storytelling for personal and professional impact.

We not only led insightful discussions but also connected with like-minded quantum enthusiasts and businesses. A big thank you goes to our Organizing Committee for making these events possible!

Expanding Our Presence

In 2024, we started sharing our expertise at conferences. We participated in panels on:

• Empowering Women in Quantum at the QuantERA Strategic Conference.
• Who Has a Seat at the Table? Improving Access to Careers in Quantum at the Nodes of One Network.

We also shared our work at conferences across the Netherlands, the USA, and Portugal.

Celebrating Achievements

Our Head of Programmes’ hard work with WIQD was recognised by not one, but two awards!

• An Honourable Mention at the RightBrains Digital Awards for winning the public vote.
• The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award from the European Quantum Flagship, a significant recognition of Judith’s dedication to advancing WIQD’s mission.

Growing the Team

In 2024, we welcomed two new staff members:

• Inge Simon, our Community & Partnership Manager, connected us with multiple partners, including Diversity in Quantum (DiviQ).
• Maja Lešković, our Communications Officer, increased our presence on social media and welcomed more than 500 followers across our channels.

Thank You for an Incredible Year

All in all, 2024 was a WIQD success! Thank you for your support in making quantum an inclusive space.

Here’s to even greater achievements in 2025!

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