research Archives

Ching-Ray Chang

Professor Ching-Ray Chang has contributed to quantum science for several decades, playing a central role in building Taiwan’s quantum research and education infrastructure. With over 280 publications and more than 28 patents, his scientific work is matched by a series of popular science books that make quantum concepts accessible to the public.

As former Executive Vice President of National Taiwan University, Chang founded the NTU–IBM Quantum Hub, now one of Asia’s most active academic quantum centers, and introduced quantum computing into NTU’s curriculum. He also Found another quantum information center in CYCU and led national training programs and pioneered high school–level quantum education to cultivate Taiwan’s next-generation quantum workforce.

As the Founding President of the Taiwan Association of Quantum Computing and Information Technology (TAQCIT), he helped shape Taiwan’s national quantum roadmap and strengthened coordination across academia, industry, and government. He also established the Quantum Taiwan Forum—launched at SEMICON Taiwan five years ago—which has since become a major bridge linking Taiwan’s semiconductor strengths with the global quantum technology ecosystem.

Together, his research, policy engagement, educational initiatives, and institutional leadership define a comprehensive approach to advancing quantum science and building the broader infrastructure needed for its long-term development.

Bruna Shinohara de Mendonça

While she specializes in quantum algorithm development, Dr. Bruna Shinohara de Mendonça is also a passionate science communicator and educator. She holds a PhD in Physics from the University of São Paulo, with research contributing to advancements in topological quantum computing.

Shinohara de Mendonça also co-founded QBrasil, a free initiative to popularize quantum technologies in Portuguese, and developed the first mini-course on quantum computing for undergraduate physics students at the University of São Paulo, reaching over 160 participants. She actively engages in public discourse on ethical considerations in quantum technologies, including global inequities in access and impact, and has presented her insights in the U.S., Netherlands, Brazil, and South Korea.

In addition, Shinohara de Mendonça shares her expertise online, including appearances on Brazil’s high-profile podcast Inteligência Ltda, and reaching over 17,000 followers online. Her work integrates technical expertise, education, and outreach, driven by a commitment to democratizing knowledge and making quantum science accessible worldwide.

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Yaseera Ismail

Through her leadership of the QuPhotonics Lab at Stellenbosch University, Dr. Yaseera Ismail is at the forefront of advanced quantum communication systems. Her research combines several quantum disciplines to address critical challenges in secure communication infrastructure.

A defining moment was leading South Africa’s component of a collaborative project with the University of Science and Technology of China, establishing the first quantum satellite communication link in South Africa and across the African continent and the Southern Hemisphere. This collaboration resulted in an 8,000-mile-long intercontinental quantum link, the longest ever reported. During a single satellite pass over Stellenbosch, her team achieved secure key generation among the highest rates recorded under real-world atmospheric conditions.

Ismail’s work advances the experimental development and practical implementation of quantum networks, with particular focus on establishing quantum technology infrastructure in the global south. Through research and mentorship, she is building capacity for quantum science in Africa while fostering collaboration that will extend the reach and impact of quantum communication technology.

Carla Hermann

As a professor of quantum physics at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, and an associated researcher at MIRO (Millennium Institute for Research in Optics), Professor Carla Hermann inaugurated Chile’s first squeezed-light laboratory—and the first quantum optics lab in the country directed by a woman—dedicated to generating intense quantum light and advancing second-generation quantum technologies. Her academic work is complemented by active participation on Chile’s national committee for quantum technologies, helping shape the country’s strategic roadmap.

Hermann’s contributions to quantum go beyond academia. Her Instagram account (@quantumcarla) reaches thousands of Spanish-speaking followers with accessible explanations of quantum physics. As host of the radio program Let’s Get Physical, she leads conversations ranging from cutting-edge science to public policy with guests including research experts and government ministers. Passionate about making quantum concepts accessible to people of all ages, Hermann developed the scientific content for La Caja Cuántica, an interactive and immersive art–science exhibition that introduces audiences of all ages and abilities to the wonders of quantum light.

Hermann has also co-organized Quantum Optics X on 2024, the largest quantum optics conference in Latin America, and has been recognized in multiple settings, including in the Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (BCN), the UNESCO–L’Oréal For Women in Science Chile Award (2017), and Forbes’s “30 Powerful Women” (2023). She has even been featured in Revista Velvet, a Chilean lifestyle magazine, positioning her as an ambassador for science in spaces traditionally distant from it.

Her dedication to outreach, policy development, and the representation of women in STEM—alongside her commitment to research and teaching—has inspired the quantum community in Chile and beyond.

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Anna Grassellino

Dr. Anna Grassellino is a leading physicist and the director of the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems (SQMS) Center at Fermilab, a Department of Energy Office of Science National Quantum Information Science Research Center in the U.S. In this role, she coordinates a global collaboration of over 300 researchers from 43 institutions, uniting expertise across academia, national laboratories, and industry to advance superconducting quantum devices.

With Grassellino at the helm, the SQMS Center has achieved key milestones in quantum information science, including a deeper understanding of decoherence in superconducting systems, the development of world-leading cavity-based qudit systems, and the application of quantum sensors to fundamental physics, including dark matter research. Her work combines accelerator physics, quantum device fabrication, and materials science to push the coherence and scalability of superconducting qubits, enabling new possibilities in quantum computing and sensing.

Grassellino is recognized for her ability to bring together diverse scientific communities, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentor early-career researchers. Her contributions have strengthened the U.S. and global quantum ecosystem, positioning the SQMS Center as a hub for transformative advances in superconducting quantum technologies.

Maria Longobardi

Dr. Maria Longobardi is the Executive Director and Head of Young Researchers at Switzerland’s National Quantum Center, NCCR SPIN, where she combines quantum physics, education, outreach, and international collaboration to foster a connected and inclusive quantum community.

She has launched several initiatives to broaden access to quantum, including a course on quantum algorithms for women in Africa. Among other projects, Longobardi promotes collaborations between artists and scientists. She launched QuantaArt at the NCCR SPIN, including an artist-in-residence program, and co-directed Quantum Jubilee and QuantumFest at the APS Global Summit 2025. These events combine music, movement, and storytelling to make quantum science engaging and relatable. Through these efforts, she has fostered creative collaborations between young scientists and artists, transforming complex ideas into accessible experiences for everyone.

Longobardi is also actively involved in science diplomacy worldwide and promotes global partnerships between academia and industry. She advises organizations such as the American Physical Society, UNESCO, and the European Commission. She is an APS Fellow and has been recognized as one of the Inspiring Fifty, as one of the 50 most inspiring women in science and technology, in both Italy and the UK. Longobardi is a committed advocate for equity, creativity, and ethical responsibility in quantum research. Her leadership combines scientific rigor with innovative communication, shaping a quantum field that is both inclusive and groundbreaking.

Malak Trabelsi Leob

Malak Trabelsi Loeb is an international business law jurist whose practice sits at the intersection of cross-border commerce, emerging technologies, national security, and global governance, with an emphasis on quantum. She is the founder and president of Vernewell Group and the founder and CEO of Trabelsi Loeb Legal Consultants. Trabelsi Loeb advises governments, frontier-tech companies, innovators, and investors on technology transfer, export controls, foreign investment screening, cross-border data and cybersecurity, and national security governance.

In 2020, she founded the first Vernewell venture focused on emerging technologies. Through Vernewell Group, she has shaped a regional quantum ecosystem by linking policy, industry, research, and capital, creating clear pathways for procurement and scale. With a strategy designed to accelerate responsible adoption and economic outcomes, she spearheaded Vernewell Group’s Quantum Adoption Program. Under this program, she founded the Quantum Innovation Summit as the flagship convening platform and established Vernewell Management Consultancies to drive strategic initiatives and partnerships with enterprises and institutions. Vernewell Academy was created as the region’s first dedicated capability-building arm for quantum, initially focused on executive and technical upskilling.

Trabelsi Loeb is a NATO subject matter expert for the space sector and emerging disruptive technologies. She speaks at international forums, including NATO expert engagements and the Royal Aeronautical Society, and received the Innovation Leadership Award at the Women in Aviation Middle East Conference in 2024. Her initiatives have helped catalyze pilots in finance, energy, logistics, healthcare, and space; de-risk investment decisions; and position the UAE as an active contributor to the global quantum economy.

Masahide Sasaki

Dr. Masahide Sasaki has developed quantum communication technology since 2000. He led the deployment of the Tokyo QKD Network in 2010, a first-of-its-kind metropolitan quantum key distribution testbed that integrated quantum-secure communication into practical infrastructure. He also organized the Updating Quantum Cryptography and Communications (UQCC) conference, bringing together innovation and industry communities and directly contributing to the commercialization of QKD by major companies since 2020.

Sasaki launched the Quantum Forum in 2019, a consortium producing technical documents for QKD device certification to support market deployment. As chair of major conferences, including QCMC and QCrypt, he has organized academic sessions and public demonstrations, strengthening international collaboration.

Since 2020, he has ran NICT Quantum Camp, training over 50 researchers and engineers annually, contributing to quantum workforce development alongside his contributions to research, standardization, and cybersecurity policy frameworks.

Cristian Eliecer Bello Reyes

Driven by his goal to increase access to quantum technologies across Latin America, Cristian Eliecer Bello Reyes founded Colombia’s first quantum computing research group at just 19. Now a final-year mathematics student at the National University of Colombia, the research group is a collaborative environment for over 60 students, combining technical rigor with mentorship and support to help advance the country’s quantum industry.

Bello has actively promoted open science and education, creating a YouTube channel with more than 2,000 subscribers and 70,000 views, sharing tutorials, expert interviews, and resources in Spanish. His technical expertise spans quantum error mitigation, optimization, quantum algorithms, and quantum key distribution. He has also represented his university at international conferences and hackathons in Japan, Germany, and Italy.

Through his drive, outreach, and global engagement, Bello is a standout contributor to the quantum community.

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