Interview: Dr. Merrick Watchorn, Chair, Quantum Security Alliance

What are you most looking forward to at the Quantum.Tech conference?

An opportunity to learn, explore and teach how Cybersecurity modality is affected by the introduction of Quantum Computing. The presentation provides an opportunity to meet each of my research goals of interest and the ability to network with emerging peers in various areas of the Quantum Computing domain. 

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the adoption of Quantum technology in 2019/ 2020?

Removing fiction from fact and the overuse of a silver bullet analysis to solve complex problems. Although the use of Quantum Computing provides for ground-breaking opportunities, it also can also lead unanticipated consequences. As Quantum Computing begins its early adoption phase, knowledge on how current IT systems, Cloud and security all collide with Quantum Computing will provide interesting discovery opportunities.

Looking ahead a year from now, how do you see the adoption of Quantum computing progressing?

I see it as becoming part of the operational tempo of organizations that seek to improve business revenue in areas of optimization, planning and strategy. 

What are the most important factors you consider in selecting a new Quantum solution partner?

Does what the solution partner offers include training, seminars, instructions with non-geolocation issues? Are they offering this via online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a weeks? Do they encourage sharing and online publications for joint research?

Top tips: How can you best engage and support the business to adopt Quantum technologies?

I suggest a robust training approach with minor use cases by all of the current vendors for Quantum Computing, followed by an establishment of comparison on agreed-upon test and evaluation standards. The development of use cases comes from this evaluation phase and should also provide opportunities to share information and grow market space for industry and systems integrators.

Top tips: What is the best single piece of advice you can give to an enterprise looking to start their Quantum journey?

Plan to spend the first year reading on how to think about quantum. This valuable step will provide the foundational knowledge level required to engage in meaningful investments.

What are the first steps an organization can take to start making their data and networks “Quantum safe”?

Begin to build Quantum Resistance Operational Environments (QROE) which leverage “Zero Trust Architecture” elements and the Inheritable Cloud Security Model (ICSM) for hybrid cloud integration for security elements.

If you look 3 years into the future, what do you consider will be the biggest impact Quantum technology will have on your industry?

a. Speed of Innovation

b. Adoption of Innovation

c. Optimization gains

d. Increase in prediction modelling

e. Cognitive Computing

What technology infrastructure building blocks are required to begin a Quantum computing or secure communications proof of concept?

a. 5G networks

b. 5G enabled storage devices

c. Solid state drives

What is your biggest professional achievement to date?

Learning how to use traditional D-Wave programming language and then the exploration of hybrid languages to enable analytic discovery. This discovery included the building of the first Security Control Baseline for Quantum Computing based on known security analysis to find the optimization theory between set controls and non-linear security control nodes elements.

Hear from Merrick at Quantum.Tech, this September in Boston: https://www.quantumtechcongress.com/speakers/dr-merrick-watchorn