Saving the Quantum: How to make friends with the Environment*

Since decades, physicists working with quantum technologies have been trying to model, understand and counter the loss of quantum properties caused by the environment interacting with quantum systems. Very sophisticated experiments nowadays permit to isolate quantum devices for intervals of times long enough to operate in quantum-powered mode. A general rule of thumb has been: the longer the quantum device interacts with its ever-present environment, the worse will its efficiency be.
In this talk I will show how this statement fails for a wide class of open quantum systems, namely for systems where memory effects play a pivotal role. Moreover, I will discuss how skilful manipulation of the environment allows one to directly control the induced dynamics of the quantum system, protecting and preserving its quantum properties.