Abstract: How can experiments with light turn fundamental questions about quantum reality into new experimental capabilities? I will trace our journey from probing interference, quantum probability and temporal correlations to harnessing them as resources. Along the way, we encounter a quantum measure that exceeds unity, randomness certified through correlations in time, and entanglement whose fate can be changed by a single well-timed intervention. I will connect these investigations to our work on free-space quantum communication and the development of quantum repeater networks, where the challenge is to preserve and distribute fragile quantum resources across increasingly complex systems. Together, these experiments illustrate how pursuing foundational questions can open unexpected routes to quantum technologies.

I will conclude with a glimpse of the new directions we are building in Calgary, from photonic qutrits and integrated photonic chips to new horizons in free-space quantum communication. I will also touch on prospects for quantum-enhanced sensing and optomechanics, with longer-term connections to fundamental questions at the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity.