On April 21st, 2025, the IEEE Computer Society BRAC University Student Branch Chapter successfully conducted its first seminar of the year as part of IEEE Week, titled “Exploring Quantum World: Black Holes and Quantum Information.” The session was delivered by the esteemed Dr. Tibra Ali, Professor and Associate Dean of Research, School of Data & Sciences, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, BRAC University.

The event attracted approximately 100 students from various departments who gathered with immense enthusiasm and curiosity. The session aimed to explore one of the most intriguing and puzzling phenomena in modern physics — black holes — and how they intersect with the field of quantum information.

Dr. Ali began the seminar by explaining the basic nature of black holes: massive celestial objects with such intense gravitational pull that not even light can escape. He then led the audience into the groundbreaking work of Stephen Hawking, who showed in the 1970s that black holes emit what is now called Hawking radiation. This radiation implies that black holes can gradually lose mass and eventually evaporate. However, Hawking also proposed that this radiation carries no information about the internal state of the black hole, leading to a deep conflict with quantum mechanics, which asserts that information must be conserved. This contradiction is famously known as the Black Hole Information Paradox.

The session was not only intellectually stimulating but also highly interactive. Students were deeply engaged throughout the seminar, frequently asking questions and expressing their fascination with the topic. Dr. Ali’s approachable teaching style, sprinkled with humor and relatable analogies, made complex ideas accessible and enjoyable. His jokes and light-hearted delivery sparked laughter while maintaining the depth of the discussion, keeping the audience both informed and entertained.

We were also honored by the presence of Dr. Matin Saad Abdullah, Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, BRAC University, who joined the session in support of the initiative.

The seminar concluded on a high note, with students reflecting on the mysteries of the universe, the unknown nature of information, and the exciting intersections between physics and philosophy. Many participants left the room with not just answers, but even more compelling questions about the cosmos.

This event marked a promising and energetic beginning to the IEEE CS BRACU Chapter’s activities for 2025. It successfully ignited interest in advanced scientific topics among students and set a strong precedent for future academic events.