- 2013 Wolf Prize in Physics
Intro
Spanish physicist, one of the pioneers of the field of quantum computing and quantum information theory. In 2013, he won the Wolf Prize in Physics for ground-breaking theoretical contributions to quantum information processing, quantum optics and the physics of quantum gases.
Education and Work Experience
1991, Ph. D. in Physics, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
2001-Present, Director of Theory Division, Max Planck Institute
2015-Present, Member of the Advisory Board, Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, Tsinghua University
2019-Present, Co-Speaker, Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST)
Honors and Awards
2010, Benjamin Franklin Medal for Physics
2013, Wolf Prize in Physics
2018, Max Planck Medal
2018, Distinguished Member of the Royal Physical Society of Spain
Major Academic Achievements
Ignacio Cirac’s research is focused on quantum optics, the quantum theory of information and quantum many-body physics. According to his theories, quantum computing will revolutionize the information society and lead to much more efficient and secure communication of information. His joint work with Peter Zoller on ion trap quantum computation opened up the possibility of experimental quantum computation, and his joint work on optical lattices jumpstarted the field of quantum simulation. He has also made seminal contributions in the fields of quantum information theory, degenerated quantum gases, quantum optics, and renormalization group methods. As of 2017 Ignacio Cirac has published more than 440 articles in the most prestigious journals and is one of