Crystal Senko

Faculty, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair

Crystal Senko

Crystal Senko joined the Institute for Quantum Computing in November 2016 as Assistant Professor with the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo.

During her doctorate research in quantum information, Senko used trapped ions to simulate a quantum computational module and to create a spin chain experiment for manipulation in the lab. She earned her PhD under the supervision of Christopher Monroe at the University of Maryland.

At the Center for Ultracold Atoms (CUA) as a postdoctoral fellow with Harvard University, Senko worked on the development of a photonic crystal waveguide that, when atoms are placed next to it, creates an interesting system for information transfer between atoms by the photons flowing through the photonic crystal.

Senko’s research at IQC focuses on using trapped ions for quantum simulations and quantum computing applications. Her work also explores qudits and how to improve the efficiency of encoding a logical unit of information using the multiple levels of a qudit.

Research expertise

  • Manipulation of quantum systems with trapped ions
  • Quantum computation with trapped ions
  • Phases and dynamics of interacting spin systems

Degrees

  • PhD, Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
  • BSc, Physics, Duke University, North Carolina, USA

Major Positions

Title Location When
Associate Professor Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Waterloo 2023-Present
Assistant Professor Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Waterloo 2016-2023
Postdoctoral Research Scholar Center for Ultracold Atoms, Harvard University 2014-2016