How does a state known for Silicon Slopes prepare for the quantum revolution? Ryan Starks (EDCUtah) joins Pete Codella and Sumit Parashar to discuss Utah’s recruitment engine, the power of university partnerships, and why we need to start building a quantum-ready workforce today. Plus, Ryan reveals a surprising personal passion for 90s basketball nostalgia and shares insights from governor-led international trade missions. Don't miss this discussion on the future of Utah’s economy.
Highlights include:
- Ryan’s world-class Michael Jordan card collection
- The role of quantonomy in Utah’s K-12 and higher education
- Why Maryland is currently winning the quantum race (and how Utah can catch up)
- The urgent need for quantum-safe encryption
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: Pete Codella and Sumit Parashar open the show and introduce the concept of quantonomy
00:44 - Guest Welcome: Ryan Starks, President and Executive Director of EDCUtah, joins as the show's first-ever guest
03:07 - Starks’ Journey: Ryan discusses growing up in Ogden Valley, his time in Ecuador, and his eventual move to Heber Valley
05:03 - The Build Together Philosophy: An explanation of Ryan's core leadership philosophy regarding community-driven economic development
08:48 - The Boomerang Story: Pete highlights Ryan’s career path from being an intern to becoming the Executive Director of the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity
09:09 - Halloween as Fat Thor: A lighthearted look at office culture and Ryan’s memorable costume
11:08 - Beyond the Bio: Ryan shares his lifelong passion for collecting Michael Jordan basketball cards
13:28 - The Utah Sports Rivalry: Pete discusses the local cultural lessons learned from wearing a house-divided BYU/Utah hat
14:27 - International Trade Missions: Insights from governor-led missions to Israel, Dubai, and Canada
19:53 - Proactive Regulation: A look at the Utah AI Lab and the work of Margaret Busse at the Utah Department of Commerce
23:52 - Quantum Sensing: Sumit explains how entangled sensors could benefit rural Utah and the agricultural sector
28:52 - National Education Partnerships: Discussion of the NIST K-12 partnership to integrate quantum curriculum into schools
29:14 - National Quantum Day: Marking April 14th as a day for celebrating quantum advancements
32:49 - Workforce Development: The proposal for Utah universities to offer a minor in quantonomy
36:11 - Associations and Ecosystems: The impact of organizations like Silicon Slopes, 47G, and BioHive on Utah's growth
43:30 - The Maryland Benchmark: A comparison of Utah’s current quantum standing against Maryland’s $1 billion investment
47:45 - Paradigm Shifts: A discussion on how quantum represents a complete rebuilding of technology, similar to the shift to warp drive in fiction
49:13 - The Quantum Cliff: A warning regarding the future risk of quantum computers breaking current data encryption standards
50:49 - Closing Remarks: Final thoughts on the bright future of quantum in Utah over the next decade
#EntangledShow #Quantum #Quantonomy