The “glass ceiling” has long been used to refer to the distinct lack of minorities and women in leadership roles, especially in STEM industries. Quantum computing is a newly minted field, and as such, many eyes are watching the development of the industry’s leading researchers, executives, and change makers. These people will set the precedent for role models the next generation of quantum computing scientists will look up to.
We highlight six women who are making an impact – whether through leading by example or via advocacy – in quantum computing.
- Rebecca Krauthamer
Presently, Rebecca Krauthamer is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of QuSecure. Her company – which specializes in post-quantum cryptography software – was honored as a Global Product Leader in the field by Frost and Sullivan (a business and market research consulting firm).
She graduated with a BS in Symbolic Systems from Stanford in 2013 and has founded multiple tech startups since. Most notably, she was previously Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Thought, an incubator for creating and commercializing quantum computing intellectual property. That is, she is a key part of the generation ushering quantum computing from the research lab into the industrial space. Furthermore, she is a member of the Global Futures Council on Quantum Applications with the World Economic Forum, alongside an advisor for the AI Ethics Journal. Her impressive list of accolades contributed to her being named as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 in 2020.
- Dr. Kayla Lee
Dr. Lee serves as the global lead of IBM Quantum Ecosystem Growth. Her work is impressive: in September 2020, she initiated the IBM-HBCU Quantum Center. The initiative was begun to bring together researchers and students from HBCUs across the country and ultimately drive quantum innovation across HBCU campuses. Today, the initiative spans five distinct regions and includes 26 institutions.
She earned her PhD in Molecular & Cellular Biology and Systems Biology from Harvard University in 2018. Her extensive background in biotechnology and biology eventually led her to take on a research intern position at IBM. In the following years, she joined IBM as a quantum computing industry consultant, eventually taking on increasingly prominent strategic roles. - Dr. Michelle Simmons
Dr. Simmons has held an international reputation for her research work in quantum and atomic electronics for decades. Currently, she is the founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing that seeks to develop cutting-edge quantum technology. She also holds a Scientia Professorship at the University of New South Wales as a part of the School of Physics, all while directing the CEntre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.
Dr. Simmons is only one of a few to have been named an Australian Research Council Federation twice, and was honored as Australian of the Year in January 2018. She was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia the following year. - Dr. Inés De Vega
Dr. De Vega is the Vice President of Innovation at IQM Quantum Computers. IQM seeks to eventually develop fault-tolerant quantum computers, with a present focus on accessibility and scalability, namely via a cloud platform. She leads a team whose objective is to develop quantum algorithms for a broad range of quantum applications. She also holds a position as a research scientist at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München with the Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics.
Previously, Dr. De Vega has held prestigious positions with the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics as a postdoctoral research fellow, the Universität Ulm with work on describing photosynthetic complexes as quantum systems, and Grünecker, Kinkeldey, Stockmair & Schwanhäusser, Anwaltssozietät as a patent engineer. - Dr. Ana Martín Fernández
Today, Dr. Martin is the Chief Science Officer at Quantum Mads. Quantum Mads seeks to develop state-of-the-art solutions for modeling complex industrial systems. The company was recently announced as one of 57 start-ups worldwide who are finalists for the BIND startup accelerator program and innovation project, which seeks to focus on research and development-heavy companies. She is also pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship at Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, after receiving her PhD in quantum algorithms in June 2023. - Dr. Araceli Venegas-Gomez
Dr. Venegas-Gomez is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of QURECA, a quantum resources and career center based around tackling the quantum workforce skills bottleneck. She remains active as an advocate for education and workforce development, maintaining a position on the European Quantum Industry Consortium as a governing board member and WG3 Education Lead since 2021, alongside being a member of the Gender Equality Work Group of Quantum Flagship and member of the World Economic Forum’s GFC on quantum applications.
She earned her PhD from University of Strathclyde in Physics, Quantum Optics, and Quantum Many-body Physics in 2020. Previously, she received the Optical Society Foundation’s Milton and Rosalind Chang Pivoting Fellowship to become a global ambassador for quantum technologies
These are only a small handful of the many women who hold respected positions within the realm of quantum computing. Yet regardless, each of their stories, achievements, and journeys to where they are now are inspiring!
See also:
