A journey marked by passion and learning

On December 15, Lautaro Labarca reached a major milestone by obtaining his PhD in quantum physics at the Université de Sherbrooke, following the defense of his thesis.

Before settling in Sherbrooke, Lautaro, originally from Chile, built a rich and international academic career. He first completed a master's degree in physics at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile, after a bachelor's degree in energy engineering at the Universidad de León, Spain.

What convinced him to choose Sherbrooke? The reputation of Professor Alexandre Blais, whose work on circuit QED had a profound impact on him during his master's degree.

From the outside, his group seemed like a great place to do a PhD, and it did.

In addition to working with Professor Alexandre Blais, Lautaro was pleased to join the Institut quantique. What attracted him?

Its well-organized structure and sufficient resources to attract passionate researchers.

He describes the search environment as pleasant.

These years of doctoral studies allowed him to professionalize as a scientist and to deepen his understanding of quantum physics. Among the courses that have marked his career, he cites the quantum optics course given by Professor Mathieu Juan. He also underlines the support of Baptiste Royer, "of great importance" in his journey. Collaborations with other researchers and other institutions have enriched his experience by allowing him to explore areas that are complementary to those of his supervisor.

His doctoral project focused on the modeling of superconducting circuits integrating non-reciprocal devices, such as circulators, that orient signals in a specific direction. He also studied theoretically how to measure electromagnetic fields with the maximum precision allowed by quantum mechanics.

Having missed his loved ones greatly, Lautaro plans to "go home and spend time with my family." As for his professional future, he remains open, hesitating between research, industry or teaching. One thing is certain: these four years have had a great influence on his life.

Although he found it difficult to maintain a balance between his personal life and research, Lautaro participated in sports activities and social gatherings organized by the University. Today, it is this notion of balance that he wishes to pass on to future doctoral students:

Your personal life is more important than research.