Elisa Torres Durney is establishing herself as a prominent young leader in quantum education. As the Founder and CEO of Girls in Quantum, a youth-led nonprofit launched in 2022, she has built an inclusive global platform introducing students, particularly girls from underrepresented communities, to quantum science through free, multilingual learning materials, mentorship, and community engagement.

With Torres Durney at the helm, the organization has reached more than 8,000 students across 60 countries and created partnerships with institutions such as IBM and UNESCO. Girls in Quantum has also co-hosted the largest Spanish-language quantum hackathon in Latin America, offering students unique opportunities for hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

While simultaneously pursuing an engineering degree at Duke University, she continues to expand her organization’s reach, speaking at global forums including TEDx, the United Nations, the Women Economic Forum, Gitex Global Dubai, the Osaka World Expo, and UNESCO among many others. Torres Durney’s work, which has been featured in Nature Magazine and earned her a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, unites technical education with social impact, ensuring that quantum is both accessible and empowering.