Danna Freedman to lead Quantum@MIT

Dear colleagues,

As I wrote to you last fall, one of my chief goals is to magnify MIT’s positive impact by making it easier for researchers in key areas to “go big”: to pursue their most innovative ideas in their discipline, to collaborate with others outside their field on important problems and to explore fresh approaches to teaching our students.

One of those strategic fields is quantum science and engineering—and today, I'm thrilled to let you know that Danna Freedman, the Frederick George Keyes Professor of Chemistry, has been appointed faculty director of the Quantum@MIT Initiative, which we will formally launch during the upcoming academic year.

A synthetic inorganic chemist, Danna is widely respected for her contributions to the development of materials for quantum information science. Her lab focuses on designing and synthesizing molecules and materials with exquisite control, atom by atom, to create quantum properties and behaviors of value to the world around us. Danna’s visionary work has been widely celebrated, including with an ACS Award in Pure Chemistry and a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.” Perhaps most importantly, she has a broad perspective that draws seemingly disparate domains and technologies into a unifying vision.

A hundred years since the birth of quantum mechanics—and after more than 40 years of MIT leadership in quantum computing, sensing and communication—the field is at an inflection point, ready to translate quantum science and technology into practical applications. Danna will help us capitalize on this moment by infusing the design of integrated quantum systems with problem-driven missions.

To that end, as leader of this new initiative, Danna will develop strategies to foster greater collaboration and connect quantum efforts on campus, at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and in government and industry. With ambitious plans taking shape, Danna and her team will be in touch with many of you over the coming months to further define and advance the vision for this new initiative.

With gratitude

Vice President for Research Ian Waitz, Provost Anantha Chandrakasan and Dean of Science Nergis Mavalvala oversaw the search for the faculty leader for this special initiative. I’m grateful to all the members of the search advisory group, listed below, and especially to co-chairs Professors Marc Baldo and Peter Fisher. Quantum@MIT will report to Ian and will be administratively housed in the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Research Laboratory of Electronics, with close connections to the Provost’s Office, the School of Science and the School of Engineering.

I’m grateful to Danna for taking on this important role in shaping the future of quantum at MIT. I look forward to seeing how MIT, our graduates and collaborators will seize the opportunities of this next crucial decade to bring quantum technologies to life.

Sincerely,

Sally Kornbluth
President

Search Advisory Group Members

Marc Baldo (co-chair), Dugald C. Jackson Professor in Electrical Engineering; Director, Research Laboratory of Electronics

Peter Fisher (co-chair), Thomas A. Frank (1977) Professor of Physics; Associate Vice President for Research Computing and Data

Moungi Bawendi, Lester Wolfe Professor of Chemistry

Karl Berggren, Julius A. Stratton Professor in Electrical Engineering and Physics; Faculty Head, Electrical Engineering

Nuh Gedik, Donner Professor of Physics

Aram Harrow, Professor of Physics

Jelena Notaros, Robert J. Shillman (1974) Career Development Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering

Jonilyn Yoder, Associate Group Leader, Quantum-Enabled Computation, MIT Lincoln Laboratory