Dear Professor Katz,
Thank you very much for a moment of your time. I was kindly referred to you by Jack Hidary of X (hidary@x.team) and Zoltan Egyed of Google (zoltan@google.com), who highlighted to me your work in Israel on quantum
information science and technology. I am writing to ask you if I might visit you and your team at the Racah Institute of Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem during two upcoming visits to the State of Israel.
At the Eisenhower School, National Defense University (NDU), in Washington, DC, I teach a course called the Cyber Domain/Advanced Computing Industry Study (the ‘Cyber IS’), and I am planning to bring up to 15
people to Israel next spring for an overseas field study experience (approx. dates: 18-24 April 2020, with meetings from 19-23 April). As described in the attached information paper about my course, our academic program includes engagements with government,
industry, and academic leaders, and I would really enjoy the opportunity to learn a little more about your team at the Quantum Information Science Center (QISC), and to expose my students to your research, thoughts, and perspectives during a visit next spring.
I am planning to make a preparatory visit to Israel on 26 Oct-1 Nov 2019 to establish initial contacts, gather insights, and discuss options for a future group visit.
Fortunately, we are receiving generous support and assistance from the Israel National Defense College (INDC) (esp. LTC Matan Or, ormatan@mail.gov.il), and Col Shlomo Binder (a 2019 Eisenhower graduate), to plan
these visits. Additional support from the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) should be coming online in a few days as officials return from the holidays.
As discussed in the attached paper, the Cyber IS course is aimed at helping our students to: understand the factors that promote innovation and growth in the technology sector, prepare them to leverage the contributions
of industry, government, and academic players to resource national security strategies, and lead at a strategic level. We will conclude with student-led presentations to senior government and private sector executives in which the students will describe their
recommended strategies to address policy challenges relevant to the domain. Because there are many technology-related business areas, our focus next spring will be on firms, agencies, and institutions whose work touches on at least one of the following four
areas:
- Cybersecurity and cyberspace operations
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Advanced computing (quantum and neuromorphic)
- Telecommunications (esp. 5G technology)
The preliminary agenda for my October visit is included below my signature block. The intent is to schedule a similar (but deeper) set of engagements for the students next spring.
I think exposing the students to some of your team’s work in quantum information science and technology would add tremendous value to our visit. During the spring term, we will be meeting with a variety of U.S.-based
teams working in this area (e.g., the University of Maryland, Applied Research Laboratories at the University of Texas in Austin, the NASA Ames Research Center, IBM, Google, and AT&T), and we would enjoy learning about your work and perspectives.
One thing to keep in mind is that our students are mid-career officials from a variety of backgrounds (sometimes not technical). Last spring, I had one Ph.D. nuclear physicist in a group of 17, plus one electrical
engineer, two pilots, a military lawyer/judge, several very cyber-savvy individuals, and a handful of talented and distinguished warfighters. It would be important to try to make your complex quantum research and its significance accessible to a similar (diverse)
group.
Would you be available to meet with me on Wednesday morning, October 30th? Please let me know.
Thank you for your assistance!
Best regards,
Andrew
ANDREW H. NICHOLS, Colonel, USAF
Assistant Professor, National Security and Industrial Base
Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy
National Defense University
Eisenhower Hall (Bldg. 59), Room 415
andrew.h.nichols.mil@ndu.edu
Office: (202) 685-4319
Cell: (703) 888-6378
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Preliminary Agenda for the Preparatory October Visit
(Subject to change, as some visits may need to be shifted or cut out due to time constraints)
Arrival on Saturday, 26 October 2019
- Col Nichols will be the only traveler
- In-country transfers will be conducted via rental car
Sunday, 27 October (Tel Aviv and Ramat Hasharon)
- Defense Research and Development Directorate (MAFAT)
- Directorate of Security for the Defense Establishment (DSDE)(MALMAB)
- Defense Export Control Agency (DECA)
- International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT)
- National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA)
- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Unit 8200
- Israel National Defense College
Monday, 28 October (Tel Aviv, Rosh HaAyin, and Herzliya)
- Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
- Partner Communications Company, Ltd., or Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Corp. Ltd.
- Viola Group (venture capital firm)
- Google AI
- IBM Israel Ltd.
Tuesday, 29 October (Haifa)
- Elbit Systems Ltd.
- Intel Israel 74 Ltd.
Wednesday, 30 October (Jerusalem)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Quantum Information Science Center (QISC)
- Israel Innovation Authority
- Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD)
- MassChallenge Israel
Thursday, 31 October (Beer Sheva)
- Ben-Gurion University (BGU) Cyber Excellence Center
- National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Gav Yam Negev Advanced Technologies Park
Departure on Friday, 1 November
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