IQC researchers recognized with NSERC awards

Eight IQC researchers received Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awards‎ including a prestigious NSERC Discovery Accelerator grant.

Professor John Watrous (David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science) was recognized for his research in theoretical approaches to hybrid quantum systems with both a Discovery grant worth $310,000 over five years and an Accelerator grant worth $120,000 over three years.  

Along with Watrous, professors Michele Mosca (Combinatorics & Optimization), Ashwin Nayak (Combinatorics & Optimization) and Adrian Lupascu (Physics & Astronomy) also received Discovery grants. Mosca, one of the founding member of IQC, researches quantum algorithms and in particular, quantum cryptography. Nayak's work focuses on the computational complexities of quantum computers and Lupascu's research focuses on the realization of superconducting qubits.

Four IQC graduate students were also awarded NSERC scholarships:

• Tomas Jochym-O'Connor (Physics & Astronomy)
• Megan Agnew (Physics & Astronomy)
• John Donohue (Physics & Astronomy)
• Greg Holloway (Physics & Astronomy)

Congratulations to all NSERC award recipients.