The Institut quantique Welcomes A New Member

In January 2020, the Institut quantique (IQ) welcomed Stefanos Kourtis, a new assistant professor in the Department of Physics at the Université de Sherbrooke, amongst its members.

Having received international training, Professor Kourtis has acquired expertise in quantum systems. The theoretical physicist completed his postdoctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and at Princeton University and Boston University in the United States. He now continues his career at the Université de Sherbrooke.

“I’m very happy to join the IQ team. I would like to contribute to its success by bringing my knowledge of quantum systems as a theoretical physicist,” shares Professor Kourtis.

His main research topics include modelling of matter and quantum computing, highly correlated quantum systems, tensor network methods, and topological states of matter. Amongst Professor Kourtis’ specific interests are quantum spin liquids, fractional quantum Hall models, in addition to predicting and explaining experimental observations in these systems.

Professor Kourtis’ expertise for Quantum Applications

“I believe that my greatest contribution to the IQ will be my quantum bilingualism, that is to say that I know the language of strongly correlated quantum systems in physics, as well as the language of quantum computation modelling.”

The quantum field is booming, so understanding the characteristics and properties of quantum systems is crucial if we wish to benefit from it. Although Professor Kourtis’ research is fundamental, it holds great potential for quantum applications.

“I’m developing numeric methods inspired by quantum physics, and I’m using them to solve complex algorithmic problems, coming from varied application fields. These applications include, for example, the simulation of quantum computers, solving problems linked to artificial intelligence, or even how to untie a knot!”

“On the other hand, my research focuses on the fundamental theory of advanced quantum materials. The creation of long-range entanglement and the interaction between topological order and breaks in symmetry are two examples of subjects that interest me,” he adds.

Many Collaborations in Sight

Being a member of the IQ means working in collaboration with experts who are famous in the quantum systems field. This expertise is what attracted Professor Kourtis to Sherbrooke: “I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with my new colleagues from the IQ.”

Professor Kourtis continues to collaborate internationally and is currently establishing his own research group. He also plans to start collaborations with his colleagues who are experimenting with quantum materials.

The IQ team welcomes Professor Kourtis!