QDNL Visitor’s Programme Update: Menica Dibenedetto
QDNL invites talented individuals to participate in our community through multiple collaborative channels. The goal is to leave no talent behind by accommodating the goals and educational trajectory of prospective members.
Our visitor programme aspires to further broaden the international appeal of Quantum Delta NL by offering sabbatical stays and supporting exchange visits for Ph.D. students, postdocs, and other stakeholders across the QDNL network.
Our outgoing visitors serve as ambassadors who visit leading institutions across the globe, not just to learn the latest techniques and innovations, but also to spread our knowledge while helping form important collaborations.
This time, we highlight the outbound visit of Menica Dibenedetto.
Menica shared about her visit:
"The goal of my sabbatical was to advance research on quantum machine learning and neuromorphic computing. I collaborated on two papers, lectured at a summer school, and expanded my network. The visit sparked new collaborations, deepened my scientific vision, and fostered meaningful reflections on socially engaged, interdisciplinary research.
The purpose of my sabbatical at Stellenbosch University, hosted by Francesco Petruccione’s group, was to advance my research on open quantum systems for quantum machine learning (QML) and quantum neuromorphic computing. The visit was highly productive: we initiated two scientific manuscripts, one nearing submission on the theoretical underpinnings of quantum neuromorphic models, and a review article on open quantum systems in QML.
I gave several presentations, including a talk on quantum research at Maastricht University, a colloquium at the NITheCS School on UNESCO Quantum Day (April 14), and a radio interview on quantum technologies. I also lectured at the 33rd Chris Engelbrecht Summer School at STIAS, contributing to interdisciplinary training in Quantum AI.
A vivid moment was my arrival in Stellenbosch: stepping into 25°C and sunlight after the Dutch winter, with the scent of rain still on me. That contrast, sensory, emotional, existential, captured the essence of this sabbatical: a vivid and transformative pause, both scientifically and personally.
The local community, hospitable, diverse, and marked by stark contrasts, pushed me to reflect on privilege, responsibility, and the roles we play, consciously or not, as researchers and global citizens. The convergence of Easter, Human Rights Day, Italy’s Liberation Day, and the Dutch King’s Day prompted reflections on shared histories of struggle and resilience.
Visiting the townships was profoundly moving. Despite warnings, I felt compelled to witness their reality. It was a visceral reminder of visible inequality, here stark, elsewhere often hidden.
This sabbatical sharpened my research vision, expanded collaborations, and inspired proposals for the NWO M2 and QDNL Top Talent calls. Most importantly, it reaffirmed that science must remain open, grounded, and engaged with the world, responsive, responsible, and deeply human."
