On the morning of May 19, 2026, the 13th IOPP Colloquium was held at Lecture Hall 9409 of the Institute of Particle Physics (IOPP), Central China Normal University. Professor Hongxi Xing from South China Normal University (a CCNU IOPP alumnus) delivered a talk titled "Exploring Hadronic Structure: From Large Facilities to Quantum Machines."

Professor Xing’s talk commenced with the fundamental challenge of elucidating the partonic structure of hadrons, systematically reviewing global research progress since the pioneering deep-inelastic scattering experiments at SLAC in the late 1960s. He highlighted how world data, spanning from electron-positron collisions to recent proton-proton measurements at the LHC, constrain our understanding of nucleon structure and parton fragmentation functions. He particularly shared his team's latest breakthroughs in utilizing quantum devices to simulate hadronic structure, demonstrating the unique advantages of quantum computing in simulating real-time evolution, and outlined the transformative potential of the US EIC and China's polarized EicC for future research.

During the discussion session, Professor Xing engaged in in-depth exchanges with young scholars regarding the optimization of quantum algorithms in high-energy physics and potential collaborative directions at C3NT (Central China Center for Nuclear Theory). As an alumnus of the IOPP, he fondly recalled his academic journey at CCNU, encouraging young students to strive for excellence in frontier research.

The IOPP Colloquium is a series of academic activities organized by the Institute of Particle Physics, designed to foster an open and collaborative academic ecosystem. This talk bridged experimental exploration and quantum technology, reinforcing the IOPP's academic vision of "international perspective and interdisciplinary integration," and provided invaluable inspiration to the audience.

Professor Ben-Wei Zhang, Director of the Science and Technology Division at Central China Normal University, presented Professor Hongxi Xing with the 13th IOPP Colloquium Commemorative plaque

Hongxi Xing is a nuclear theorist and Professor of Institute of Quantum Matter, at the South China Normal University (SCNU). He obtained his Ph.D. in 2012 from Central China Normal University, jointly trained by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Before joining the Institute of Quantum Matter of SCNU as a full professor in 2018, he held postdoctoral positions at the University of Science and Technology of China, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory/Northwestern University. His research interests focus on hard probes in heavy-ion physics, nucleon structure, as well as the application of quantum computing in high-energy physics.

Group Photo of the 13th IOPP Colloquium

Correspondent: Xiangyu Shui

Proofreader: Xin-Nian Wang

Photographer: Xi Jiang