Funding & Projects
QUANGO (2020–2023) – Horizon 2020
http://quango.eu/
Lead researcher: André Xuereb
Secure and reliable exchange of data and information plays a crucial role in our society. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) aims at overcoming the current classical cryptographic systems, preventing the vulnerabilities led by the advent of quantum computers. The EU-funded project QUANGO aims at designing and prototyping the key elements of a satellite mission that targets the delivery of both internet of things (IoT) and QKD services. QUANGO will provide a new paradigm to share the satellite infrastructure required for secure communication based on QKD and for 5G communication. It will do this by designing a constellation of low-earth orbit CubeSat and by developing the satellite sub-system payloads, along with the corresponding ground stations. This project is funded by the European Commission through its Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, grant no. 101004341.

HOT (2016–2021) – Horizon 2020
http://hot-fetpro.eu/
Lead researcher: André Xuereb
We are part of the 17-node consortium HOT—Hybrid Optomechanical Technologies, which includes 13 universities and four companies. HOT which will lay the foundation for a new generation of devices that connect or contain several nanoscale platforms in a single ‘hybrid’ system. This project is funded by the European Commission through its Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, grant no. 732894.

TOM – Julian Schwinger Foundation
http://www.physics.nus.edu.sg/~jsf/
Investigators: André Xuereb & Vittorio Peano
We received funding to investigate optomechanical arrays as a platform for the amplification, processing, and routing of phonons. This programme will aim to exploit topological effects in such arrays, which were discovered recently.

SEQUEL (2019–2021) – North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/78209.htm
https://sequel-project.eu/
Lead researcher: André Xuereb
Through its Science for Peace and Security programme, NATO is funding our collaboration with INRIM and INO in Italy to further our work on connecting Malta and Sicily through a quantum link.

Research Innovation and Development Trust (RIDT)
http://researchtrustmalta.eu/
Lead researcher: André Xuereb
The RIDT funded a collaboration of ours with IQOQI (Austria), and CNR and INRIM (Italy) to set up quantum experiments between Malta and Sicily.

European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
We are members of several COST Actions, where we often have leadership roles: Thermodynamics in the Quantum Regime (MP1209, now defunct), Nanoscale Quantum Optics (MP1403), Quantum Structure of Spacetime (MP1405), and Quantum Technologies in Space (CA15220). We regularly host short-term scientific missions sponsored by one of these COST Actions, and have organised conferences and workshops: COST MP1403 ESR Workshop (2015), COST MP1209 Working Group Meeting (2016), and QTspace Conference & Working Group Meeting (2017).
